


It's because I Need to, Not because I Want to

by Anon1Adult



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Crossdressing, First Time, Getting Together, M/M, Misuse of Science, Mutual Pining, Sex Pollen, Stripping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-03-06 07:27:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3126038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anon1Adult/pseuds/Anon1Adult
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So I’m learning forty-five minutes is about my max.” Tony said casually. </p><p>Steve smirked, “Is this you asking to hold my hand?” </p><p>“No this is me admitting I have a medical condition.” Tony replied reclined on the couch, kicking his now bare feet up on the coffee table. “Now get over here so I can hold your hand.”<br/>- - -<br/>Or the one where the Avengers are going to leave street crime to Spider-Man because rolling around in the mud apparently makes you dirty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JayGreen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayGreen/gifts).



> 2014 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange for [ JayGreen](http://archiveofourown.org/users/JayGreen)
> 
> And to my wonderful Stony Santa recipient: Apologies( _so many_ ), excuses(they're bad and involve family, _ugh_ ), and on top of all that this is just shy of the first draft which means it’s unbeta-ed. (I'm so sorry!!)  
> There is more to this story but I figured I’d get at least this chapter up so you don’t keep thinking someone dropped your prompts!! They were wonderful and I wanted to keep poking at them but I had to pick one! ((You said bonus points and I was like _I can do that!_ So I did, and now we're looking at a 20k story! x_x ))

5:30am found Steve in the gym running laps. 

10 miles at a brisk pace 10 miles all out, 5 miles at a brisk pace. Over all, a light day. 

Pressing his towel to his damp forehead, Steve pushed the button for the community kitchen before he twisted the top off his water bottle. He was out of milk on his floor and figured no one would mind him grabbing a glass to finish his morning routine. 

 

Tony was seated at the dining table, morning paper sectioned around his coffee cup and plate of sliced fruit. 

He glanced up from the _Lifestyles_ section as Steve walked in. Tony didn’t think he knew any as body confident as Steve Rogers. 

Steve was obviously coming in from the gym, white shirt damp with sweat and stretched across his chest. Someone had to have given him those tiny running shorts as a joke that he obviously wasn’t getting.

“Dressed to the nines I see.” Steve called in greeting, “Business related or special occasion?” He asked with his head in the fridge. 

Tony set his paper down and enjoyed watching Steve move about the kitchen. “Business, as usual. But I’m starting to think what you’ve got on might put more sway in my negotiation power.” 

Steve’s lips twitched in the way that usually meant he was trying not to smile and replied in a deadpan, “I don’t know. I think this is more date friendly myself.” 

Tony laughed and felt joy blossom in his chest when Steve flashed him that joyful smile of his. The smile that showed off the smile lines at his eyes and made them seem brighter in the early morning light. 

Tony broke eye contact and folded up his paper for something to do with his hands. If he was caught giving Steve another longing look like that it’d be considered staring. 

“Did your digital copy not come in this morning?” 

Tony huffed a laugh and stacked the neatly folded paper away from him. “The Daily Bugle ran a piece about my client today. How she’s normally a real hard ass and always gets what she wants.”

Steve leaned against the counter with his arms casually folded and an eyebrow raised, “Are you finally caving to the peer pressure of the business world?” 

“Hell no.” Tony snorted, “The Bugle limits their stories to print for the few hours before it goes online. I’ll be neck deep in it by then and I couldn’t wait that long. I need to know every angle so I’m not blindsided when I get in there.” Tony waved a hand at him, “You taught me that.” 

Steve nodded. 

Tony tapped at his phone lying next to his plate then stood abruptly, “We still on for 7:00 tonight?” 

“It’s my turn to pick the film, wouldn’t miss it.” Steve assured him. 

Tony gave him a wave and disappeared into the elevator. 

 

Steve eyed Tony’s abandon plate and rolled his eyes. Steve would never get use to leaving things out for the staff to put away. 

Tucking the once again neatly folded newspaper under his arm, Steve popped one of Tony’s abandoned orange slices in his mouth before gathering up his plate and mug and moving them into the sink. 

With a tall glass of milk in one hand and Tony’s fruit in the other, Steve made his way back to his floor. 

\- - -

The call to assemble came just before 1:00PM.

There wasn’t much information available, just The Wrecking Crew was causing damage and threatening civilians on an arterial street. Spider-Man wasn’t on scene yet and the damage was becoming extensive even as Shield tried to contain the situation. 

Other than it was in the middle of the day, it seemed like a routine take down. The Wrecking Crew had their own getaway vehicle half loaded with -what came through the coms- a street drug. 

A very dangerous street drug.

“Way below our pay grad.” Logan had growled as Steve gave the warning to not get exposed to the contents.

While Steve had silently agreed with him, they were more ‘world domination stopping’ rather than ‘street crime stopping’ but they weren’t about to sit this one out. 

A loud wooden crack split the air, followed by a grunt of surprise over the coms, as one of the crates broke open. 

Clint was cursing under his breath before he started coughing. “Hazard Orange” he’d choked out.

A hazard orange was their code for a substance best not inhaled.

“You need an evac?” Tony demanded before Steve could get the words out. 

“It’s not deadly.” Was his refusal followed by a slow drawl, “Just probably not going to like the side effects too much.” 

If Clint could handle the impairment of whatever drug he’d been exposed to Steve trusted his judgment and turned his full attention back to trying to corral The Wrecking Crew to one area. 

As Steve directing a family of five to clear the area, he didn’t notice the airborne crate flying his direction until just before it exploded at his feet. 

The impact shattered the wood structure and a green cloud immediately expanded around him. 

His shield cutting back to him didn’t disturb the air like an object moving at that speed should have. The air flow alone should have at least cleared some of the dusk cloud.

\- - -

Based on the initial analysis if the crate contents, the haze that billowed around Steve shouldn’t have been able to be that large. “Doing alright there Cap?” 

Steve swung the shield to deflect a swing from Thunderball’s ball and chain. The blow had him clenching his teeth as the ground around him shook from the shock wave. 

“Just fine!” Steve growled before dissolving into a coughing fit. 

The green miasma had completely fogged over Steve’s figure within, leaving Tony with only a silhouette of Steve from his aerial view.

“Fine my ass.” Tony muttered under his breath before moving into action.

Trusting his air filtration, Tony swooped in and with a short warning, was carrying Steve clear of the green cloud.

“Thanks.” Steve coughed as they touched down a short distance away, “Repercussions?” He asked as his ever tactful eyes sweeping over the street. 

Tony didn’t need to ask what he meant. The armor preformed a full body scan of Steve as he watched Captain Marvel dive bomb Piledriver, taking his attention away from a school bus that was taking its sweet time to evacuate.

“Nothing showing up so far. But I wouldn’t want to wait this one out. Will probably have to check in for any lasting side effects.” Tony reported before he noticed small, almost sparkles, floating between his eyes and the lights of the HUD. The screen lit them up different colors but there was no mistaking the way air movement didn’t sway them.

Tony cleared his throat and coughed once. The slight taste of too sweet fruit clung to the back of his throat. “Well damn.” He cursed then was popping the faceplate. 

“What’s that ShellHead?” Steve tilted his head indicating he was listening even though his eyes were forward. 

Tony blew out a breath trying to dispel the clearly green particles in his face. “Minor situation.” He replied, debating the risk of getting out of the suit to avoid breathing it in further. “Armor, vitals check.” 

There was another wooden crack as another crate exploded and a much smaller cloud of blue appeared to their right. 

“Shit,” Tony cursed then was slamming the faceplate down and moving forward as Steve directed Logan and Carol to contain the crates so they’d stop being burst open.

Clint was still slightly coughing as he stood just outside the first blue cloud when Tony touched down. They simultaneously shot at Wrecker, one high and the other low, knocking him off his feet.

Clint coughed, “Thanks. Don’t inhale that stuff, it’s got a horrible after taste.” 

“Tell me about it.” Tony muttered. 

Together Tony and Clint made short work of pinning Wrecker down. The man wasn’t nearly as bullheaded when his enchanted crowbar was out of reach. 

Tony checked the armor’s initial vial results from the green particles. “Heart rate slightly accelerated.” With an eye roll Tony made a mental note to run another check when he would be closer to a resting rate. 

No use taking a result like that at face value in the middle of a fight. 

\- - -

“I want Hawkeye and Wolverine to head to the infirmary. We don’t know what other side effects this thing has.” Steve barked over the coms. 

“Other than chaffing?” Came Clint’s mutter. 

Tony chuckled as Clint pulled at his collar. Silently thankful whatever Clint ran into hadn’t touched him if that’s what he was suffering from. 

“I don’t think halting today’s meeting was worth this,” Tony commented standing next to Steve as they watched a cuffed Thunderball be lead into the back of a SHIELD transport.

Piledriver was subdued but raging like a bull as Carol held him down to be placed in power-nullifying handcuffs.

“If your client can’t hold talks while you help save the day you shouldn’t be doing dealings with them at all.” Steve answered. 

Tony smirked, “Telling me how to run my business now Cap?” 

Steve raised his eye brows. The silent ‘Like you would listen’ was loud and clear. 

“I left while the client was taking an emergency call. They can handle their business for the rest of the day and we can handle this. Speaking of this,” Tony said gesturing towards the first departing transport, “How’d they get out anyway? I thought the Raft had the Wrecker on lock down.” 

Steve shook his head and put a hand on his hip, “Beats me. But I doubt they got out for good behavior.” 

Tony flipped up the face plate as he hummed in agreement, they’d be looking into that later. He noticed the green particles weren’t in his field of vision any more. The air filtration must have cleared out the rest. 

He hoped.

“Guess I should get to infirmary and find out what we’re dealing with here.” Steve said as the last transport leave.

Tony felt a low heat settle in his belly at Steve’s voice. 

The feeling of course wasn’t what was unusual; it was the suddenness of it and the incredible pressing urge to _touch him_ that had Tony reeling. 

Tony wasn’t some horny teenager unable to keep from popping a public boner -even if it would be concealed by the armor- but his body hadn’t received that same message. 

Steve’s hopeful eyes caught his, “Give me a lift?” 

_In more ways than one_ , Tony’s mind supplied. 

With horror Tony realized this was a side effect. 

Slamming the faceplate down, Tony kicked off into the air. “Not the best idea Cap!” He called behind him before disabling the coms. 

That’s what Clint meant by chaffing. 

\- - -

The thought _this was far too easy_ had crossed Tony’s mind as they had started to load up the Wrecking Crew, but sometimes you just had to count days as a win. 

He was starting to rethink that “win” when it meant having your blood and vitals tested because you inhaled a form of “synthetic ecstasy” during a fight. 

Bruce had frowned at the identification when it’d come up on the screen. “I thought all your suits were air tight?” 

Tony tried not to be too offended but nodded, “The one’s that aren’t have an air filtration system. It still shouldn’t have been able to get in there.” 

“Well, obviosly it did. I’ll run your blood samples through the simulation and in about 45 minutes we’ll know the best course of action.” Bruce gave him a not so subtle cagey once over, “And a shower might be in order so you don’t unintentionally spread it to someone else.” His intentional distance since Tony came into the lab suddenly made sense.

 

And that’s how 3:00 found Tony in his shower thrusting into his tight fist, feeling pleasure race up his spine. 

_It’ll fade_ , he told himself, _just have to get it out of your system_. 

He wasn’t looking forward to Bruce’s diagnosis.

\- - -

Bruce had taken a sample of Steve’s blood then immediately demanded he shower. Steve wasn’t particularly looking forward to the rest of Bruce’s rushed explanation. 

Steve felt the tension in his shoulders relax when he saw Tony was in the infirmary when he arrived. Even though Tony was frowning at a screen with a hand on his hip it was reassuring he wouldn’t have to hear this alone. 

“Problems?”

 

Tony felt his spine straighten at Steve’s voice. Like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He minimized the readout he was looking at and caught Bruce’s questioning look before he turned to face Steve.

Steve’s shirt was molded to him like a second skin and tucked into brown slacks that looked like a thigh flex would tear the material at the seams. 

He looked like he always did. 

He looked good. 

Tony forced casual shrug, “Bruce doesn’t think so-“

“No, I don’t.” Bruce said exasperated, “It’s a compound designed to stimulate the pleasure center of the brain! Of course those are what the results are going to look like.” 

“No.” Tony said with finality then moved to a projection closer to where Steve stood. 

Steve could see Bruce was at his wits end as he dropped into a stool and rubbed his nose under his glasses. 

“Care to fill me in?” Steve asked.

Bruce sighed and looked up at him over his glasses, “We’ve already established it’s a synthetic version of ecstasy,” At Steve’s nod he continued, “but chemically speaking they couldn’t be more different. That’s just the name it has on the street because the symptoms are similar. It’s growing in popularity in the more reputable underground circles. I was able to isolate the chemicals in it but it’s infused with a type of magic,” he spat the word like it personally offended him, “which means a simple neutralizer might not do the trick.” 

Steve stepped up to a screen that displayed a long list of incomprehensible numbers, “Can’t we take our chances?” 

Tony was already shaking his head but it was Bruce that answered, “Not unless we want to run the risk of exacerbating what it’s already done to you two. The need to be close to each other.” Bruce explained, “I ran samples between the four of you that were contaminated and you two inhaled the same batch. There is a drive in it that causes you to see out that other person.” 

Steve bit the inside of his cheek to keep his expression neutral, he missed Tony taking his lower lip between his teeth. 

Bruce looked back and forth between them, each behind their carefully constructed masks. He didn’t understand their shutdown on the subject. It just meant they needed to be close enough to touch skin to skin occasionally, hand holding if they must. He was failing to see their hesitation. 

“From what I can gather the drug is making you need physical contact with each other. The only way to not feel like you have been for the past few hours is to sate the urge. Be close. Touching.” 

“No.” Tony says immediately. 

“For how long?” Steve says over him. 

Bruce tapped at the screen a few times before giving them an apologetic look. “Calculations show at least a week.” 

The silence in the infirmary was deafening. 

‘A week?’ Tony mouthed in disbelief. “What stays in your system for a weeks?” He questioned, his voice taking a high tone at the last word. 

“It looks like it might take some time to work through your system. It will be intense for the first few days and then it’ll hang around for a while.” Bruce tried to explain. 

Steve nodded as he took that in. He would have to be close -close enough to _touch_ \- Tony for half a fortnight. A small part of him crowed at the implication, but he doubted it would have been appreciated. 

Hard to laugh off telling your teammate it wouldn’t be a hardship to run your fingers through their hair like you’ve day dreamed about doing for years. 

“Seven days?” Steve asked once more. 

Bruce have him a tired nod, “Give or take.”

\- - -

The rest of their time spent in Bruce’s lab were awkward to say the least. 

Bruce had them hold hands, taking samples again after 5 minutes. 

It was nice. 

In a weird forced medical type way. 

The texture of Steve’s hands was a lot softer than Tony would have guessed for someone as physically involved as Steve. But as soon as their fingers touched it was like a full body sigh. Tony felt his muscles relax, his mind clear, his half hard erection finally dissipate. 

Bruce released them with a reminder he’d let them know if anything changed. 

 

Not knowing what else to do with himself, Steve started to follow Tony to his floor. 

They got in the elevator and Tony hesitated pushing his floor. 

“Do we want to see how long we can be apart?” 

Steve frowned a bit at the question. It was a full body relief to be in such proximity to each other, why would he want to deny that? 

Tony continued, “I have a business to run and clients that want me there in person to sign papers. We need to figure this out or I’m going to lose face by being absent for a second time. They understand the situation, or as much as they need to, but our meeting continues tomorrow.” Tony ended with a shrug. 

Steve set a hand on his hip as he thought it over. “Two hours doesn’t seem all that difficult-” 

“Perfect.” Tony said punching the button for Steve’s floor. “Two hours we’ll see where we’re at.”

\- - -

Forty-Five minutes from watching Steve walk out of the elevator and Tony had adjusted the left joint on the boot that kept sticking, trashed one and added two notes to the portable suits, gone over the finer points of the meeting negotiations for tomorrow. 

Anything to keep his mind off feeling the need to touch Steve. 

It was going to drive him mad if he didn’t do something about it. 

He could feel it. 

Just the thought of those big blue eyes and that jaw line curbed the edge off the need. He couldn’t wait another hour for Steve to come to his floor for their weekly movie night. 

Trying and failing to talk himself out of it, Tony all but jabbed the button for Steve’s floor.

 

Steve’s floor was always meticulous.

Tony envied that it seemed to have a touch of Steve in everything. Right down to the potted plant in the window that was soaking up the last of the sunrays. 

“Tony?” Tony’s head snapped up at Steve’s voice. 

The relief that just seeing him made Tony question the severity of the drug they’d inhaled. 

Steve’s hair looked slightly deviled as if the gel had failed to do its job. As if on cue Steve ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at the strands. 

“So I’m learning forty- five minutes is about my max.” Tony said going for casual.

Steve smirked, “Is this you asking to hold my hand?” 

“No this is me admitting I have a medical condition.” Tony replied as he reclined on the couch, kicking his now bare feet up on the coffee table. “Now get over here so I can hold your hand.” 

Steve fondly rolled his eyes and settled on the couch next to him, their fingers lacing together and resting between them. 

Steve turned on the TV and put on an old episode of the Three Stooges. 

Tony gave a groan of protest, Steve didn't try to hide his smile.

 

As long as they were within touching distance, the itch beneath their skin could be ignored. Like the need to rub at a sunburn. 

Steve had left to make popcorn between movies, extra buttery just the way Tony liked it, and Tony felt like the worst of it had passed. He didn’t long for Steve to be at his side like he had earlier. 

Maybe divulging in the drugs demand for touching would cause it to burn out quicker. The logic seemed simple enough. 

When Steve returned with the popcorn he set it on Tony’s dominant side and all but curled into Tony on the other side. 

Steve never was one to fidget but he couldn't seem to sit still. 

The movie was just getting to plot driven dialog but Tony had to know.

“Steve,” Tony got a light squeeze of the hand in response, “What are you doing?” 

Steve went stock still next to him before pulling away as if burned. His eyes were wide and his mouth opened and closed a few times.

 

Without knowing it, Steve had pressed up against Tony, shoulder to hip. Tony’s hand held between his own and resting on Steve’s thigh. 

The thought of putting Tony’s arm over his shoulder as he sat down crossed his mind but the notion didn’t seem weird until he _thought_ about it. 

“Side effect of the drug?” He tried for hopefully. 

 

Tony knew they were going to have to rewind this part of the movie. “Like a fire beneath your skin that wouldn’t relent until we touch?” 

At Steve’s nod, Tony’s mind whirled. 

Magic was the anomaly in the drug. Maybe it caused that itch beneath the skin to ebb and flow between them. Maybe it was swinging Steve’s direction now. 

That’s would explain why he’d been okay with Steve leaving the room. 

“It wasn’t like this earlier,” Steve said, “it wasn’t nearly this intense.” He grabbed for Tony’s hand and his eyes fluttered shut in a relieved sigh. “Starting to feel bad for thinking you would be the only one to experience side effects.” He said dropping his head back against the couch briefly, “Man and country.” He muttered.

Tony refrained from laughing at Steve's turn of phrase but it was a near thing. “Just give it a few hours, this-“ he squeezed Steve hand, “-should take the edge off.”

At Steve’s nod, Tony skipped back a chapter in their movie.

\- - -

The fire was beneath Steve’s skin. 

They’d held hands for hours and when Tony and left for his own bed the desire had been manageable.

Steve kicked off the covers and stretched his arms above his head. He had gone to bed hours ago but had yet to fall asleep. Along with the heat boiling in his muscles, it was as if he was missing something. 

He felt along the edge of his bed, hand coming in contact with the cool metal of his shield. Another phantom limb was missing then. 

Maybe a warm glass of milk would help. 

Grabbing a shirt from the top of the laundry pile, Steve tugged it over his head and silently padded through the tower. Still out of milk in his kitchen he pressed the button for the commons floor. 

Filling a glass and putting it in the microwave only took a few short rotations, he was back in the elevator sipping at his milk.

When the doors chimed and opened he stepped out without looking around. Familiar with the layout of the room.

Knocking on the door Steve felt something about this was off. He took the last sip of his milk and absently wondering why he would be knocking if he was just going back to bed.

The answer hit him a moment before the door opened.

Tony looked as frustrated by the lack up sleep as he felt.

Steve opened and closed his mouth a few times hoping an explanation would tumble out but none did. 

Tony blinked at him then his eyes seemed to clear and with a muttered “Thank fuck” Steve had an arm full of engineer. 

Without hesitation Steve wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, mindful of the now empty glass of milk. 

Tony’s beard scratched along his neck and cheek as they embraced. Tony leaned back and started pulling him further into the room but Steve couldn’t let go. 

“I didn’t mean to come here.” Steve told him as those dark blue eyes fixed on him. 

“Know how to make a guy feel special don’t you?” Tony teased. 

Steve watched Tony’s lips moved he spoke. Suddenly wanting to taste them. Then he was. 

The contact sparked something in his brain and he jerked back, an apology tumbling out of his mouth. “Sorry! This isn’t at all what I intended to do.” 

Tony’s dark blue eyes were hooded and predatory as they watched him. When he spoke his voice was filled with the same amount of sultry as his eyes were portraying. “Shut up Rogers.” 

Then they were kissing again. 

 

Tony wanted his hands everywhere. Exploring the muscles and dips of Steve’s back. The firm muscles that wrapped around his sides. The solid feel of his wide shoulders. 

Steve’s lips found the sensitive spots at the column of Tony’s throat before returning to trying to learn Tony’s every secret through their lips pressed together. His fingers pulling at Tony’s hair, and palming one ass cheek in his hand. 

Tony started blindly leading them backwards, towards the bed. His heel knocking against a glass he didn’t remember being there before. 

Steve pulled back from the kiss, “I respect the hell out of you right now.” 

“Shut up.” Tony growled pulling him back down into a kiss and slipping a hand under his sleep shirt to touch at warm skin. 

Steve inhaled at Tony’s cold hands on his stomach then was pulling Tony’s shirt over his head while working his pants off with the other hand. Steve’s shirt came off and Tony had a brief moment to take in the chiseled glory before the edge of the bed caught the back of his knees then he was eye level with the cut muscles of Steve’s hips. 

Steve stared down at him, his bright blue eyes hungry, his lips parted as he panted. Tony swallowed thickly as Steve’s big hand flexed over the curve of Tony’s neck, his thumb flicking back and forth over his pulse. 

Tony’s eyes traced down Steve’s chest, the light dusting of chest hair, his pink hard nipples, the shadows of sculpted muscle as the dim light played over him, to his sleep pants tented with his thick arousal. Tony licked his lips and tugged the elastic away freeing Steve’s impressive size to his hungry gaze. 

“God Bless America.” Tony murmured wrapping a hand around the base and giving him a slow stroke from base to tip. 

Steve’s hand on Tony’s shoulder tightened and his protest came out as a groan when Tony sealed his lips around the tip and sucked. 

Tony was pretty sure Steve didn’t taste like Apple Pie, but he also couldn’t be 100% sure he didn’t either. 

Relaxing his throat, Tony worked as much of Steve into his mouth as he could, covering what he couldn’t reach with his hand slicked with saliva. Steve, ever the gentleman, didn’t try to rock his hips forward when Tony moved down him. His thumb over Tony’s shoulder gently rubbed over his collarbone, falling out of rhythm when Tony would swirled his tongue over the tip. 

Wanting him to lose control, wanting to see him loose control, Tony cupped his balls, giving them a gentle pull before cradling them and working his fingers behind to find that sweet spot. Precome danced across Tony’s tongue, Steve’s hips rocking forward as if he couldn’t help himself followed by a deep groan of Tony’s name. 

Tony suckled and massaged the spot with more force, pushing the heel of his hand against Steve’s full balls. 

This could get addicting. 

“Get on the bed. On your back.” Tony instructed as he gives a lingering kiss to the head of Steve’s thick cock and let him move. 

Steve kicked off his sleep pants and arranged himself on his back, head on the pillows. Tony snagged the lube from the nightstand drawer and slipped off his own sleep pants, leaving him in his briefs. He laid the lube within reach and ran a hand up the top of Steve’s thigh, wordlessly telling him to spread his legs. 

“Gorgeous.” Tony sighed, teasing Steve’s hip with light touches as he drank in the sight of the super soldier spread out before him. His prick hard and framed with blond hair at the base, his balls heavy between his legs. Tony cupped his balls in one hand so he could prod at Steve’s entrance with the other. 

“Relax for me Babe.” Tony purred, circling Steve’s puckered entrance with his middle finger. 

Steve took a deep breath, willing his muscles to relax. 

Unsatisfied with the speed of his compliance, Tony took the tip of Steve’s dick between his lips, flicking his tongue across the underside of the head. There was more than one way to make sure Steve relaxed. 

 

Steve fisted the sheets under him as Tony swallowed around his hard length. He couldn’t remember the last time head had been this good. 

Tony seemed to know all the little spots to lick and suck at to make star burst appear behind his eyes. And the finger at his ass would be still just long enough for Steve to forget it was there before Tony would press against him again. 

“So gorgeous,” Tony praised trading off with his hands and mouth slicking Steve’s hard cock with lube, “can’t wait to hear you beg for it,” he confided fisting Steve’s length and stroking him hard, “beg for my dick to fill you up. Beg for permission to come.” 

Steve dug his heels into the bed on either side of Tony’s knelt frame, as long as Tony kept touching him like this he’d do anything he wanted. 

“Would you do that Steve?” Tony asked, his voice a soft whisper. “Would you beg to come, beg for release?” 

Steve bit his lip and nodded, Tony’s pace picking up. 

“I want to hear you Baby, I wanna hear you say that you will.” 

Steve didn’t think he had the blood to spare, but his cheeks heated up. Tony expected him to speak? As it was he was barely keeping from moaning loudly every time Tony gave him an expertly executed jerk down. He wouldn’t be able to keep his composure if Tony expected him to talk. The finger at his ass pushed against the muscles he couldn’t seem to make relax as Tony teased the head in a firm lube slicked fist. 

“I-“ 

“Come on Baby.” Tony urged. 

The moan that left Steve next felt like a hard won victory as it started a flood of noises. The muscles in his stomach coiling, his white teeth catching his lower lip. With a groan thick ropes of come painted his stomach and chest. 

“So good, that’s it Steve, so good.” Tony cooed watching Steve come undone under him. 

At Steve’s hard exhale Tony read that as his cue to work a finger into Steve’s ass. 

A lazy bead of come dribbled from the head as Tony eased inside sliding along his prostate. He thrust the finger in and out a few times before adding a second slicked finger. The slick digit eased past the muscles and Steve didn’t even so much as tense in protest. 

“Doing so good Baby. Do you think you can take another one?” 

“Please.” Steve panted, his cock was hardening again against his stomach.

“Told you you’d beg.” Tony taunted.

“Shut up.” Steve growled and dropped a hand down to stroke at his reawakening dick. Tony knocked his hand away and took over stroking him as he worked Steve open with a third finger. 

Unable to help himself Tony leaned forward and pressed a kiss on a clean patch of Steve’s stomach. “You’re going to love your hole stretched around my dick.” 

“So much talk.” Steve breathlessly joked, as he rocked his hips.

“Roll over.” Tony coaxed patting Steve's thigh. 

“Just keep-“ 

“I know Baby, I know. Roll over.” Tony watched that perfect ass come into view, Steve’s now hard dick swaying under him as he settled on his hands and knees. 

Uncapping the lube Tony coated his fingers one last time before slicking his own cock. 

“Just breath.” Tony reminded him as he eased forward. 

Steve was moaning as the mushroom tip eased inside his stretched hole. 

 

The heat was something else. The firm hand on his hip grounded him while Tony cooed, “Breath Baby, breath and let me in. Just a little more.” 

Steve knew he wasn’t going to last long.

The vise around Tony's dick eased ever so slightly at his encouragement. Tony waited for Steve to exhale then he snapped his hips forward, filling Steve in one trust. Steve groaned and sank down to his elbows, his ass fluttering around Tony’s hard dick. 

Tony held their hips steady while petting a soothing hand down Steve's back, “I know Darling, breath for me. The worse is over, I’m going to make you feel so good.” He promised trailing across Steve's tense back muscles repeatedly, “You’re going to love my cock filling your tight hole. You’ll see.” 

Ready to go and tired of his talk Steve pushed back against the hard length in his ass, hoping to get Tony to act on everything he kept promising. 

The action had pure pleasure racing up his spine and whited out his mind for a moment. 

“Tony please.” Steve panted into his arm. “Please move.”

“There we are Gorgeous,” Tony praised as he started a slow rhythm, “that’s what I was waiting for.”

Reaching down Tony thumbed over the head of Steve’s dick, with a chocked off gasp Steve slammed back against Tony’s hips in surprise. 

Tony ran a soothing hand down his side as he hummed, “Makes me wonder how quick we can get you off Baby? Stuffed full while I play with your hard dick.” 

Speeding up, Tony angled to drive into Steve’s sweet spot with every thrust. Keeping a slick hand around the head it was no time at all before Steve was bucking under him, moaning with every rock of his hips. 

“Tony! Tony I’m- I’m,” 

“That’s it Baby,” Tony panted “Come for me. Come on Darling, I want you to come with my cock deep in your ass.” 

With a groan Steve was spilling over Tony’s hand, his hole milking Tony’s own release between one breath and the next. 

Tony expected the guilt to settle in as soon as their heart rates dropped back down, but it never came. 

Steve gave a deep sigh as Tony had slowly pulled out. He’d taken Tony’s comment about next time they’d use a condom with an eye brow raise and a smirk. 

After a few deep calming breaths, Steve climbed out of bed and threw his sleep pants over his shoulder on the way to bathroom. 

 

Tony watched the drawstring swing over the middle of Steve’s back, eyes following down to watch that perfect ass walk away wondering how awkward things would get between them now. Sex -or any type of intimacy really- always seemed to muck up any relationship Tony had.

Turned out he didn’t have to wait long.

Not two minutes later, Steve was dressed in the sleep pants and shifting his weight foot to foot as he stood awkwardly between the bathroom door and the bed. 

Neither of them knew when the drug would kick back in. It probably was smarter for them to be close together. 

“If-“ Tony cleared his throat, “If you’d like the bed is big enough.” He patted the pillow beside him, “As long as you promise not to drool, the pillows are goose down.” 

Steve rubbed at the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. “As long as I’m not intruding.” 

Tony sighed as he settled under the covers, “We’re going to be sleeping, so as long as you don’t hog all the blankets I think it’ll be fine.” 

Steve climbed between the sheets while Tony turned off the lights. 

They shuffled in silence getting comfortable for a few moments. 

Tony mutter “fuck it” then draped an arm over Steve’s stomach. 

Steve gave a small huff of a laugh and turned towards Tony, pulling him under his arm so their sides were pressed together. 

“Just in case?” Steve sighed into his hair. 

“Just in case.” Tony echoed. 

The silence eased into a quiet night.

“I wouldn't mind going with you tomorrow.” Steve said into the dark room.

Tony didn’t pretend to misunderstand him. “That could work. I've been in the market for a capable secretary. But I’m not going to lie, these meetings can get boring. You think you can swing it?”

“Of course.” Steve easily agreed before another thought occurred to him, “What do you need a secretary for when you have video cameras that record everything?”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t like a reliable second opinion." Tony yawned before demanding, "Now sleep.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're continuing with the theme of my works being un-betaed.  
> Comment me if something needs to be changed or spelled correctly....  
> Of if I need to remove a freakin' author's note. _jfc_

Between one breath and the next Steve was wide awake. 

He definitely wasn’t in his own room. The lack of tick from the analog clock told him as much. 

He wasn’t uncomfortable, and the situation didn’t feel hostile, just- unfamiliar. 

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Steve looked down to a familiar mop of hair rested against his shoulder. 

Steady, deep breaths of sleep puffed across his bare collar bone. Tony’s whole body was laying against his side, pressed from shoulder to knee. An arm casually thrown over his chest and one of Tony’s legs tangled between his own. 

Steve sighed deeply in contentment as the feeling of peace flowed through him. As if the world had narrowed down to them inside this room, on this bed. 

With Tony asleep against him Steve could imagine this being more than a side effect. He could imagine it was intentional. That they would wake up. Exchange sleeping good mornings and kisses. Steve would tease Tony about talking in his sleep- as it would inevitably happen. They would wander out to fix breakfast, exchanging easy touches as Steve scrambled eggs and Tony waited on the coffee machine for his first cup of many.

Tony shifted against his shoulder, his stubble scraping over Steve’s shoulder bringing him out of his fantasy. 

Steve sighed as reality set back in. Tony waking up like this wouldn’t result in the breakfast he had just imagined. Tony would probably brush the whole thing off and they would pretend this never happened. 

Steve took a shaky break and looked back down at Tony’s dark hair. The little wisps curled over his ears, he would trim it here before too long. His long dark eye lashes resting against his cheek, his lips a soft pink.

Steve gently moved Tony’s arm off his chest and untangled their legs as he slid out from between the sheets. 

Tony huffed and buried his face into the pillow Steve had just vacated. 

With a strong twinge of longing, Steve watched him stretch out like a cat. The dim morning light casting shadows across his muscular arms and back, the dip of his spine before the blanket covered the curve of his ass. 

Steve wished he could keep this moment and pretend when he leaves he’s not leaving for them to treat this like the elephant in the room. 

He consoled himself with the knowledge he might have 6 nights of this.

Unable to help himself, Steve settled a big hand on Tony’s lower back and leaned over Tony’s shoulder to drop a kiss to the column of Tony’s neck. 

“Only 6 more days.” Steve muttered against the soft skin. 

Forcing himself to move away he turned and grabbed his shirt off the floor, shrugging it on and silently leaving the room. 

Unaware of the dark blue eye following his retreat. 

\- - -

Tony showered and dressed for the day in a slight daze. 

Images of Steve naked and on display –all for him- occupied his mind as he went about getting ready on autopilot. 

Tony fixed his tie while gazing out over the New York skyline as the sun slowly crawled from the horizon. 

But Tony saw none of it. Instead, he saw a naked Adonis spread out before him. Steve’s powerful legs on either side of him. His hard prick leaking from the tip over corded stomach muscles as Tony worked slick fingers down his balls to his entrance. Steve’s cheeks dark with pleasure, his lips parted as he panted at the feeling of being stretched open. His strong arms flexing as he grasped for purchase against the sheets. 

_"Only 6 more days."_

The reality inducing words snapped Tony out of his memory, he was momentarily confused with what he had been doing. 

Ah, dressing for work. 

Work and the meeting Steve had agreed to go with him to. 

Dread and excitement filled him at the thought of Steve pulling another stunt like he did this morning while he thought Tony asleep.

Steve's nearness was something Tony felt he would become addicted to. An addiction that he would soon be denied in a few days time.

If Steve could think of their arrangement as a means to an end then Tony could play along to keep the itch under his skin calm too. 

\- - -

Since Steve had left Tony this morning the intense heat had been building under his skin. 

Peeking about 45 minutes ago and he’d been fighting to ignore it ever since. 

Running 10 miles hadn’t helped.

Squatting a Personal Record hadn’t helped. 

20 minutes in the reflex training program hadn’t helped either.

Steve had experienced longing before -most days it was his closest companion- but this drive under his skin made that feel like those were fond memories. Steve was a religious man but even he had to admit it felt like his soul was pulsing with need. 

Grabbing his towel he swept it across his forehead as he exited the simulation room. If he dallied any longer he’d run the risk of being late.

Steve stopped short when he noticed Tony was leaning against the hallway door. His head was bowed as he looking at the phone in his hand. Steve’s fingers flexed wanting to reach out and touch him but he refrained. 

The discomfort was at a manageable level, he could handle this without invading Tony’s personal space more than he strictly needed to. 

 

Getting dressed had been enough of a distraction but the need to find Steve and be near him was slowly driving him mad. Tony looked up as Steve came into the hallway, sliding his phone into his pocket to give Steve his full attention.

Steve’s gym shirt stuck to him like a second skin and it made Tony’s mouth go dry. Sweaty from his workout, the material hugged every defined muscle of Steve’s chest and stomach. Tony’s eyes paused over the muscles at his ribcage. He didn’t think serratus anterior muscles could get that big. 

With a mental shake his gaze jumps to Steve’s face, a cocky smirk firmly on his lips.

“Enjoying the view?” Steve asked hanging his towel over his shoulder. 

Tony relaxed his shoulders, if Steve could be this cavalier about the morning after, so could he.

Giving Steve another once over. Eyes lingering on the cut of his lower stomach muscles, his hard nipples through his shirt, the stretch of the fabric across his chest and around his biceps. 

Before Tony could comprehend what he was doing he reached out a hand and pressing it firmly against Steve’s bare forearm. The fire beneath Tony’s skin felt like it extinguished immediately. Coming back to himself Tony removed his hand and finally meeting Steve’s gaze, noticing how a touch of color at settled on his cheeks. 

“It’s alright.” Tony conceded with what he hoped was an indifferent shrug. 

Steve smiled and shook his head, “You’re here for a reason?” 

“Was hoping we’re still on for today?” If the need had gotten that bad in the short time they’d been apart, Tony would hate to imagine what would happen if he didn’t have access to Steve at all today. 

“Showering now.” Steve said motioning for the door. 

Tony turned and they walked side by side down the hallway. He balled his fists in his pocket, barely keeping himself from offering to join him. He was already dressed and wearing his suit jacket, it would be weird to offer now. 

 

“I can meet you in the commons in 20 minutes?” Steve says trying to not let it show what their close proximity was doing to him. Tony’s hand against his arm had brought the need down to a dull roar but it was still present. He clenched the towel in his hand to keep from reaching out and brushing the back of his hand against Tony’s. 

Tony lifted his hand and in a forced aborted move to give Steve an awkward pat on the shoulder, “See you there.” 

\- - -

18 minutes later Tony was sitting in the communal kitchen with slices of cantaloupe on a plate and a cup of coffee in front of him. 

Carol was sliding bacon around in a pan, occasionally forcing a slice onto his plate. “Shut up and eat.” She’d commanded the second time leveling her fork at him.

“And I thought Jarvis’ nesting habits were bad.” Tony grumbled making room on his plate for the grease soaked meat.

"Tony, I will stab you.” Carol threatened not looking up from the sizzling pan.

Tony’s response died on his tongue as the elevator chimed open and Steve walked out tugging at the sleeves of his dress shirt under his jacket. Tony remembered demanding Steve set up an appointment with a tailor to get a suit that fit him. Steve had insisted the suit he already had would be sufficient for anything he’d need it for, even as out dated as it was. But it looked like Steve had taken his advice because the suit he was wearing was cut perfectly to accentuate his wide shoulders and the bulk of his chest. 

The jacket was unbuttoned, his slim black tie the perfect length down the white shirt. The black slacks obviously tailored made because Tony couldn’t ever remember a time Steve’s powerful thighs were caressed that way by any pants. Tony suddenly had a powerful urge to see how his ass looked. 

Steve brushed a subtle hand to the back of Tony’s exposed neck as he passed to open the sesame seed bagels Jarvis kept around for him. 

Carol gave Steve a low whistle, “Well you’re looking dashing today Steve. What are you all dolled up for?”

“Residual side effect of taking down the Wrecking Crew yesterday,” Steve replied buttering the bagel, “going to have to keep close to Tony for a while until that substance is cleared out of our systems.” 

Carol munched on a strip of bacon, her eyes taking in them both in turn before hiding the conclusion that had her raising her eye brows by looked down at her plate of breakfast. “Sounds like you’re in for a long day. Business meetings are always a snooze-fest.” 

Tony focused his gaze on his coffee cup, unable to form a response past the feeling this meeting wouldn’t be as boring as Carol was making it out to be. 

 

Tony was proven right as soon as the elevator closed behind Steve on their way to the business floors of the tower. 

Steve caught him by surprise when he slid his arm under Tony’s, grabbing him around the small of his back pulling him flush against his front, their lips meeting without preamble. Steve’s big hand found the back of Tony’s neck as he held him close and devoured his mouth. Tony tried to take control of the kiss but Steve's insistent tongue, and the fingers playing at the hair on the base of Tony’s head, wasn’t having it. 

Tony lost track of time because the next instant they were down 15 floors and the elevator was opening on the Research and Development floors. At the elevator chime they tore apart, each taking deep breaths, trying to fight down their bodies’ reaction to the close contact. 

A couple of research techs entered the elevator, giving Tony a friendly nod which Tony returned before dissolving into techno babble with each other that had Tony numbly nodding along. 

Tony discreetly straighten his twisted tie as the techs rambled on. 

They went down a few floors then the fellow engineers exited with another friendly nod. 

“What was that?” Tony asked as Steve ran a hand through his hair, smoothing down the pieces Tony had apparently ruffled. 

“Been needing to do that all morning.” Steve replied unconsciously licking his lips. 

The sight sent a jolt of arousal straight to Tony’s dick. 

Definitely wasn't going to be a boring meeting.

\- - -

The meeting started at 8:00 with handshakes and pleasantries. 

Tony’s client, Alisha Silver, was an attractive medium built brunette in a suit dress. She had an easy smile and a sharp tongue. Quick to joke about understanding Tony’s other obligations and his abrupt departure yesterday.

Her lawyer and associate, Caesar Cicero, was a boxy man in a suit that looked like it had seen better days. His handshake had been firm, and his smile looked like it would only be complete with a cigar between his lips. 

They continued where they’d left off the day before. Discussing the intended use of the latest Stark tech equipment in Wildwood Hospital. 

The list being so long they’d only barely scratched the surface yesterday. 

Tony had originally argued this meeting seemed a little too much like micromanaging his tech but Pepper had insisted the amount and type of tech they were asking for was worth looking into. After Alisha started detailing the items not listed on the preliminary documentation he could see Pepper’s apprehension. 

Too many of the things Alisha wanted were found more often in laboratories, than hospitals. Tony was willing to bet _experimental laboratories_ would be in heaven to get some of the things she’d mentioned as having more theoretical use than practical application. But every time Tony clarified what the equipment purpose was for, Alisha had a counter for what its applications could be inside a hospital treating patients. 

Steve played the part in dutiful secretary. He’d sat in attention, diligently taking notes, with a _pen and paper_. He’d occasionally ask for clarification when they’d get a bit too heavy into the buzzword lingo but for the most part he was keeping up. 

The itch under Tony’s skin had started to flare just before 10:00. He occasionally bumped his ankle against Steve's even though it didn't provide the relief he needed. But it did encourage Steve to offer his notebook from time to time and let the back of his hand touch Tony's. It wasn't enough to extinguish the need, but it kept it at a low boil. Low enough for Tony to focus and, for the most part, ignore it.

As the meeting went on, the name “Wildwood Hospital” started making the small furrow of Steve’s brows more prominent.

When Tony went over the list of tech already granted, Steve slid into his Captain America persona. His disapproving frown a touch milder than Tony was used to seeing during Avenger meetings. Steve had this way of looking relaxed, but as though he could spring any direction at a moment’s notice. 

The predator aura Tony could see just under Steve’s cool exterior had him initiating is own contact by touching Steve's wrist occasionally, the notebook felt like a confidant of their secret.

The 12 o’clock hour couldn't come fast enough.

 

Biting down on his reaction, Tony hadn’t drawn attention to Steve’s shift, nor had he given any indication during his speech anything was amiss. 

“We’ll break for lunch and continue this discussion say 1:30?” Giving them about an hour and a half to discuss what had set Steve on edge. 

Again with that easy smile, Alisha agreed and Tony walked them to the elevator while directing them to a few places they might enjoy within the tower or within the block. 

Tony turned to face Steve and was on the receiving end of a narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. Tony ran his finger over the top of his phone in his pocket, waiting for Steve to start talking. 

“Not here.” Steve growled then walked down the hallway towards Tony’s office. 

Tony caught the eye of the admin assistant of the floor, Adrianne, he thought it was. She was watching Steve walk away with a small look of approval. Shaking herself out of the stare she looked back at Tony, “What would you like me to have ordered up Mr. Stark?” 

“Surprise me.” He replied then pulled out his phone and turned to follow after Steve. 

\- - -

Steve was waiting just outside Tony’s office door. His notepad bending in his grip. His eyes were eager, whole body tense. It looked like a loud noise would send him jumping three feet in the air. 

The heat under Tony’s skin refused to be ignored any longer. 

Going for oblivious, Tony walked past Steve into his office without making eye contact. 

Holding out long enough for the door to click shut behind them before Tony rounded on him. He shoved Steve back against the door by his shoulders licking into his mouth. When Steve didn’t immediately push him away, Tony slotted a knee between Steve’s thighs and moved into his space. Steve gave a hum of approval then was rocking against Tony’s leg as he began mapping Tony’s mouth with his tongue. 

Not to be outdone, Tony pushed him harder against the door and took control of the kiss. Distracting Steve enough to make getting his jacket off that much harder. 

Tony got the offending jacket off, tossing it towards the sofa near the door. A part of him wanted the jacket laid correctly so it wouldn’t wrinkle but the large blond dry humping his leg quickly killed all thought that didn’t involve getting this man naked and pressed against him. 

Damn Steve and his old -even for the 1940s- fashion sense. 

He was wearing suspenders. 

Tony had a moment where he thought he might be dizzy for how fast the blood rushed south. It should be illegal for any one man to look that good. 

“Time to return the favor.” Steve muttered against his lips. 

There was a moment Tony wanted to protest. He’d be damned Steve thought he was going to bend Tony over in his own office. 

It had been far too long and they didn’t have enough-

Steve dropped to his knees and palmed Tony’s hard prick through his slacks. 

Oh. 

This- this he could work with. 

Without preamble, Steve opened Tony’s dark slacks and pulled his hard member through the open fly. He gave it a few dry strokes with his big hand then he was sealing his lips around the head and dancing his tongue on the underside across the sensitive nerve endings. 

“Holy fuck Baby.” Tony moaned dropping a hand into Steve’s hair. 

Big blue eyes blinked up at him and with a mischievous wink Steve was taking more into his mouth. He hollowed his cheeks and made tight wet heat feel like it was going to suck Tony’s brain straight out his dick. 

“Right there Gorgeous, right there.” Tony urged fighting to keep his hips still and not thrust into that perfect warmth. 

Steve wrapped a hand around his base and pulled off with an obscene wet pop, panting warm breath over the head. 

Tony felt his arousal all but growl beneath his skin. He had to have him. 

Now. 

Pulling Steve up with tugs to his hair and grabbing at the muscle of his shoulder and arms Tony pulled him into a frantic kiss. “Need to be inside you.” 

Rocked his hips forward, Steve’s breath caught around the moan in his throat. “Where do you want me?” 

Tony saw his almost manic gleam reflected in Steve’s eye, “Play a little boss-and-secretary game?” 

Steve’s eyes were molten, “Where do you want me,” his voice was pitched in a low growl, “Sir?” 

Tony reeled himself in, as best he could with his hard prick hanging out his slacks. “Against the desk, facing the city. Shirt off.” Steve stepped around him, loosening his tie as he went. “Keep the tie on.” Tony amended. Steve’s heated gaze caught his over his shoulder then he was pulling those suspenders off to hang at his waist.

Tony briefly entertained the thought of Steve wearing those suspenders without a shirt but that would have to wait for another date, they didn’t have the luxury of time now. 

Steve’s white dress came off and was draped across one of the chairs seated in front of Tony’s desk then the white undershirt was more carelessly placed in the seat. 

Moving some of the pens and trinkets off to the side, Steve stood in front of his desk. 

His ass really did look fucking phenomenal in those slacks. 

Tony wasted no time moving behind him and running a hand over the naked expansion of his back. He followed the dip of Steve's hip forward, finding the button and zipper of Steve’s slacks and opening them. He dipped his hand inside and cradled Steve’s hard length as he freed it from the confines of his pants. 

“Top drawer on the left, there’s a bottle of lube. Get it.” Tony commanded rubbing his thumb over the head of Steve’s dick and sliding the tailored pants over the curve of his amazing ass. 

Steve bent forward and stretched over the desk, hips and thighs pressing into the wood, trapping Tony’s hand around his hard length as he pulled open the left drawer feeling around for something large enough to be a bottle of lube. 

Tony tugged the pants and briefs down Steve’s thigh where he figured they’d be out of the way enough. He couldn’t help but press his exposed erection between Steve’s parted legs, the head of his dick pressing against Steve’s balls. 

Steve was unconsciously rocking his hips into Tony’s grip as he took his time fishing around for the slick. His ass muscles flexed with each movement. 

Presented with the opportunity Tony couldn’t resist laying a solid open-palmed smack to Steve’s firm ass. 

Steve jerked against the action, his knee hitting the desk with a loud clatter, rattling the pens where he’d set them out of the way. 

“No?” Tony purred rubbing the faint hand print that was quickly developing. 

“Again.” Steve growled and Tony didn’t need to be told twice. 

Tony abandoned Steve’s dick between the unforgiving desk and his stomach to put a steadying hand on his lower back as he delivered another open palm blow to Steve’s ass. 

Steve moaned and trust against the desk, looking like he had all but giving up on locating the lube. 

“I gave you a task, have you completed it yet?” Tony questioned deliver another smack to that perfect ass.

Steve offered the clear bottle of slick over his shoulder. 

_Apparently you can multitask when it's important_ , Tony thought amused. He accepted the lube from Steve’s grasp only to lay it in the cradle between his shoulder blades. 

The globes of Steve’s ass weren’t turning the bright red Tony associated with firm spankings, _probably the serum_ , he thought as he started in again harder. 

Each hit had Steve rocking forward and letting out beautifully submissive moans. 

“You respond so beautifully Baby.” Tony purred settling his hand over the now hot skin of Steve’s ass. His hand had just started to really sting when he noticed Steve sneaking a hand down his body, more than likely trying to offer his aching cock some relief. 

Tony braced himself on Steve’s forearms and pressed himself up against his back to mouth at the shell of his ear. Making sure to grind the pants he’d yet to rid himself of against Steve’s spanked pink ass. “Didn’t give you permission to touch.” Tony breathed over his ear. 

“Didn’t tell me not to either.” Steve challenged angling his hips back so his balls rubbed against Tony’s dick still nestled between his thighs. 

Tony nipped at his ear, his teeth catching the earlobe before sitting back with the lube in hand. “This is me,” he slicked his fingers and traced the crack of Steve’s ass, “telling you,” he slid a finger in and twisted, quickly finding the prostate and giving it a firm rub that had Steve jerking against the table and clenching down on Tony’s finger in surprise, “not to touch.” 

Steve dropped his head to the desk with a groan and reached across the desk, fingers curling around the edge making the muscles in his back flex. 

Tony added another finger, scissoring and thrusting until Steve started rocking his hips back to meet every move. “Almost Honey, just a little more.” Tony informed him then slid in another slick finger. This time moving much slower. Rubbing his middle finger against the sensitive nerve he listened for Steve’s impatient sigh before starting to work him open further. 

Steve growled something into his arm. 

“What was that Darling?” Tony asked starting to slick his cock. 

“I said I’m not gonna break.” 

“Are we offering to test that theory?” Tony asked pressing the head of his dick against his fingers at the rim of Steve’s ass. 

Steve’s hole fluttered around his fingers and a moan worked its way out at the threat. 

Interesting. 

“Maybe another time Baby.” Tony took out his fingers and used his thumbs to expose Steve’s hole as he slowly eased his dick in. 

Steve was just as impossibly tight just as the night before. “Perfect Baby, just perfect.” Tony praised sliding in until the muscles stopped trying to force him out and started feeling like they wanted to take him deeper. 

With a quick thrust, Tony drove his hips against Steve’s ass. He draped himself over Steve’s back again, kissing at his spine as he let Steve adjust around him. 

Pressed up against the curve of Steve’s ass it occurred to Tony he could potentially stain the front of his slacks if he wasn’t careful but Steve rolled his hips and he suddenly didn’t care about his pants. 

“How do you want it Baby?” Tony purred into his ear. 

Steve moaned and tried to push back against Tony buried deep inside him but with Tony lying across his back he didn’t manage to get much relief. He didn’t care how Tony gave it to him, he just wanted him. “Please.” Steve panted, humping into the desk under him chasing the euphoric feeling of having Tony inside him. “Please, Tony. I-“ he bit back the too honest moan of ‘I want it’ and choked out, “I need it. Don’t care how, need you to move, to give it to me.” 

Tony started a slow rhythm to the approving groan of Steve. 

“So tight Baby. So perfect.” Tony reached below Steve and took his hard cock in hand again, his fingers slick from working Steve open. The pens rattled on the desk and something hit the ground but neither of them paid it any attention. 

“Want you to come.” Tony bit out changing the angle of his thrusts, searching. “Want you to come while I pound into you. Can you do that Darling?” 

Steve let out a loud groan and bucked into Tony’s fist. 

Tony smirked and aimed for his prostate again, “Of course you can Baby. Come on.” 

Steve gripped the edge of the desk, his muscles tense as Tony worked in and out of him quickly, hitting his prostate with every thrust. 

Steve’s breath left him in a rush when he flooded Tony’s hand with come.

“So good Darling, so good.” Steve’s compliance had Tony thrust in hard, filling Steve’s tight hole with his release. 

Tony ran his free hand up and down Steve’s back, the drug-induced heat under his skin forgotten for now. 

They laid there for a moment, catching their breath, Tony petting up and down the expansion of Steve’s back. 

Tony eased out of him and grabbed some tissue at the corner of his desk, making sure none of the mess ended up on the carpet.

“Oh, this is getting ridiculous.” Steve huffed into the wood of Tony’s desk.

“I don’t know, I didn’t think it was that bad.” Tony shrugged. 

Steve’s bright blue eye glared at him from over his shoulder before he stepped aside gesturing to the white streak of come across the desk. 

Tony was relieved Steve hadn’t meant what they’d just done. He silently offered Steve the tissue he’d cleaned his hand with. 

With an eye roll, Steve accepted the tissue and dropped it onto the desk. 

He adjusted his pants, leaving them open and hanging off his hips to openly display his happy trail, and the smear of come across his abs, maybe Tony should have had him take his tie off... Tony hooked his thumb to a closed door within his office, “Bathroom in there if you need it.”

Steve gathered his shirts under his arm and stood facing Tony for a moment. The line of tension was gone from his shoulders but the look in his eyes told an entirely different story. 

Tony mentally braced himself for the talk they were about to have.

Feelings, and emotions, and what it meant for them to be doing what they were doing. 

Steve blinked and the moment passed. 

“Give me five.” He muttered and three long strides he closed the door behind him. 

 

Tony grabbed some tissue from his desk and cleaned, and tucking himself away while Steve disappeared into the bathroom. He added some tissues to the mess on his desk and swept the whole thing into the trash. 

Steve came out, looking impeccable even with his tie undone around his neck. His shirt was buttoned and tucked into his pants, his suspenders stretched over his shoulders. 

He was scrubbing at his dark tie with a damp paper towel. 

Tony cringed, getting satin clean without the dry-cleaner was hard. 

As if reading Tony’s mind Steve’s disapproving frown turned up at him. 

“Was worth it.” Tony offered with a shrug. 

The intercom on his desk gave a soft tone followed by Adrianne’s voice, “Mr. Stark-“ 

“Bring it back, thanks.” 

The intercom clicked off and it was silent except for the soft sound of Steve scrubbing at his tie. 

“What did you notice?” Tony asked sitting in the guest chair Steve’s shirt had been draped over. 

“Not yet.” Steve replied as Adrianne wrapping on the door twice. 

Steve turned away from the door to look out the window over the city, dropping the damp cloth in the trash before starting to knot his tie. 

She opened the door at Tony’s "yeah" and stepped inside, automatically scooping up the notepad off the floor. 

She seemed to realize what it was half a moment before Tony because her cheeks turned red and she formed a small ‘o’ with her mouth. 

Her gaze jumped from Steve’s back as he fixed his tie to Tony lounging in the guest chair trying to project innocence as she quickly set the lunch boxes and notepad on the recently cleared portion of Tony’s desk before leaving with a quick, "Let me know if you need anything else Mr. Stark." before fleeing the room. 

Tony sighed and dropped his head back to question the ceiling, “Didn’t even catch me doing anything and I’m gonna have to give her a raise huh?” 

“It’s only proper,” Steve replied cinching the knot to rest at his throat, “seeing as you didn’t even lock the door.” 

Tony winced and started unpacking the boxes. 

Definitely going to give Adriane a stellar performance review for this quarter.

“What did you notice?” Tony asked opening his sandwich. 

Steve moved around the desk and picked up the box giving a hum of approval at the neatly written title before unpacking the entire sack. 

“Wildwood Hospital.” Steve replied before opening the side salad and dumping the dressing over the greens. At Tony’s eye brow raise Steve continued, “Wildwood Hospital is run and financed by the Maggia. It’s where their operatives and thugs can go and receive medical attention without having a gunshot wound reported to the police.” 

A frown took over Tony’s brow as the realization of that settled in. 

The offer had come in because they knew Tony wouldn’t deny an entire hospital medical equipment if they lobbied for it, and could provide reasons as to what they were going to use it for. But if all that equipment was going to belong to the _Maggia_ , well that was an entirely different story. The Maggia had been trying to get their hands on any big name tech equipment that would further their own goals for years. 

The only reason Tony was so aware of their recent activity was because Peter talked about their “often and on a very frequent non-schedule schedule” deals as they happened. Which had been picking up lately. If Tony just handed over that much power over to the Maggia the drug that had him spreading Steve over his desk would seem like child’s play. 

“Shit.” Tony cursed as he ran a hand over his face.

Steve, leaning against his desk with his ankles crossed munching on salad like it was going out of style, hummed in agreement. 

“Do you think they know they’re working for the Maggia?” Tony asked thinking about the easy smile of the woman he’d been talking to for the better part of two day. 

“Hard to say. If the request came through the chain of command they might never know.” 

Tony grabbed his phone out of his pocket and tapped it a few times, eyes quickly scanning the screen. “Speaking of chain of command, I found a supplier that can get us back to the creator of our street drug.” 

Steve perked up, “That so?”

“Apparently a direct distributor is hosting a little get-together. Under ground, incredibly V-VIP. Invitation only.” 

Steve leaned forward to glance at the screen over Tony’s shoulder, his scent settling over Tony like a warm blanket. 

“I take it you have a plan for how to get around the invitation only?” Steve asked settling back onto the desk. 

Tony grinned up at him, “I’ve requested an invitation.” 

“And you think they’re just going to give you one?” 

“Why not?” 

“Because you’re Iron Man?” Came his sarcastic response. “Because you’re one of the guys that is called when The Raft has a breakout, or when we have dinosaurs roaming down Park Ave. If they’re distributing illegal drugs they’re not going to want someone who can bring all of that down anywhere near them.” 

“Well then, you are about to get a taste of the reputation of The Great Tony Stark.” 

Ducking his head Steve wasn’t able to contain his laughter, “Not including yourself, how many people do you think actually called you that?” 

“Not including myself, all of them.” At Steve’s skeptical eyebrow raise Tony continued, “There may or may not have been a party I faintly remember the DJ getting a room of people to chant it.” 

Steve snorted another laugh. “This before or after we found out Iron Man was Tony Stark?” 

“Before, long before. Tony Stark hasn’t woken up wearing panties as a party hat in a while.” 

“Which in your book would mean you’re overdue.” Steve teased.

“Unless you’re willing to don a lacy set, it’s going to have to remain undone.” 

They were both silent at Tony’s omission. The bit of teasing hitting far too close to home for both of them. 

They weren’t exclusive. 

Neither of them seemed to even want to talk about what was happening between them, instead, trying to treating it as much like a chore as possible. 

It was a can of worms better left sealed. 

“I mean, we have to keep this interesting somehow right?” Tony continued as if he hadn't slipped up. 

Steve swallowed down a drink of water unable to meet Tony’s eyes. “Right.” 

\- - -

Alisha came back from lunch with Caesar and that easy smile on her lips. 

Steve watched the smile falter when she caught sight of the two of them, heads together over Steve’s notepad, in the conference room. 

It took him a moment to realize it was because Tony had a hand settled on the back of his neck, his fingers just under the collar of his dress shirt. 

Tony seemed to realize it too and took a smooth step away, politely inquiring where they had decided for lunch. 

Steve’s gaze lifted to watch her face as she looked between the two of them, then back at Caesar who had his eyebrows raised in apparent surprise, before turning back to them. Her jaw clenched and her eyes lit with fury, then as quick as it appeared it was gone and she had that easy smile in place. Not a hint of the rage in her posture or the way she reached forward without hesitation to take Tony’s hand in return and thank him for the suggestion of the Italian place around the block. 

Steve kept his expression pleasant and turned back to outlining what Tony had insisted were tech he was going to approve. Some people were just bigots no matter the era. 

She also seemed to be the type person who wouldn’t take no for an answer when he handed over the altered itemized list. 

Steve didn’t like that it still seemed too generous: A quarter of the equipment she had originally requested along with a sizable donation from the Maria Stark Foundation to help with renovation of their oldest wing. 

Tony had sent him a look over the paper work as it exchanged hands that clearly said he wasn’t about to stay out of said renovations when they happened. Highly illegal, but perfectly ok in Steve’s book as it would be like setting up surveillance in the enemy’s camp. 

It could at least help out Spider-Man, Dare Devil, and those fighting crime on the street. 

Alisha kept that smile that was slowly starting to get under Steve’s nerves as she once again refused the revised list. 

As Tony started explaining a hospital's lack of need for a preliminary antioxidant enrichment device, Alisha discreetly wrote a note and passed it to Caesar who folded it and slipped it into his jacket pocket. 

As 3:30 approached Steve decided he hated meetings. 

There was a lot of talking and misdirection, and Steve had to stop himself from interrupting several times at the blatant miscomprehension. 

It was like fighting in a war but you stared your enemy in the eye the entire time. 

To entertain himself he started keeping a tally of every time Alisha misused the word “pharmaceutical” and the phrase “clinical lab”. He was up to eight with the first and twelve with the latter. 

He couldn’t have been more relieved when they called it a day and decided to pick up again on Monday. 

Steve shook both Alisha and Caesar’s hands then Tony saw them to the elevator. 

“Okay, I’m officially worried.” Tony announced as he wandered back into the conference room. 

Steve level him with an exasperated look. “It took you this long?” 

“Saying they have ties to the Maggia changes things apparently.” 

“I’d sure hope so.” Steve grumbled offering Tony his notepad. “I outlined the tech they’re not going to budge on and a few of them they might. They’re definitely gearing up to do something.” 

Tony stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to read him. “Why are you trying so hard to make sure this doesn’t go south on me?” 

“Keeping Alisha from making a deal so heavy in her favor would possibly prevent a lot of crime.” Steve shrugged. 

Tony accepted the notepad and gave it a quick once over. 

Of course, that was just the line Steve had been ready to feed Tony since before noon. 

The fact that making sure this goes smoothly would prevent Tony from being made to look like a fool in the aftermath was his true intent. It would save the engineer an enormous headache of trying to get all that tech out of the Maggia’s hands when he’d given it to them willingly and legally. 

\- - -

Tony growled at the schematics laid out in front of him. 

He couldn’t focus. 

The need has been growing since Steve disappeared off to do whatever it is that Steve does when he’s alone. 

So far they’d only been apart for an hour and the heat had been so unbearable Tony had stripped down to his undershirt. He was contemplating rolling around on the cool lab floor for a few minutes when Steve came in through the elevator. 

“Finally.” Tony muttered, “Where have you been?” 

Steve held up two plates of food, “Clint made pasta. I can’t speak for its edibility, but Carol said she watched him to make sure he didn’t add anything weird.” 

“Now I’m curious as to Carol’s definition of weird.” 

Steve set the plate down at Tony’s elbow. “Well, she did have some.” 

Tony poked at the creamy covered noodle. It nothing else it smelled amazing. “Which helpfully tells me nothing.” 

Steve sighed and grabbed a stool opposite side of the table Tony was working at. 

Tony help out his hand and at Steve’s raised eye brow. Tony wiggled his fingers and kept his hand out, Steve rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his pleased smile as he took Tony’s hand in his. 

“You know I would have come up and eaten with all of you like a non-antisocial human being.” 

Steve speared a piece of broccoli, “Yeah, well then we would have had to explain why we were sneaking off to watch a movie naked from the waist up.” 

Tony snorted, “Sounds like you’ve made plans for this evening without me.” 

“It’s Friday,” Steve pointed out, “if you had plans you wouldn’t have made it back up here after your meeting today.” 

Tony raised an eyebrow at his observation. “Keeping tabs on me Steve?” 

Steve smirked and have a shrug, “Someone has to.” 

Absurdly pleased with himself Tony finally bit into the pasta. “Dolce pietà!” 

Steve laughed, it wasn’t often Tony broke out in Italian. 

“I don’t want to damn us all but Clint needs to cook more often.” Tony declared.

They ate in silence interrupted by the occasional sound of pleasure from Tony. 

A holographic message popped up between them, blocking Steve’s view of Tony licking sauce off his thumb. 

“Oh, guess where we’re going tomorrow.” Tony said rotating the message for Steve to see. 

Across the top in arched calligraphy were the words “Gentleman’s Event”. 

Followed by smaller artful font dictating location and time. 

“Skipping the playboy routine this weekend is apparently out of the question?” Steve deadpanned. 

Tony rolled his eyes and moved to flatten the hologram across the desk surface over his open schematics. “It’s where we’re going to meet with the creator of our mystery drug.” 

Steve blinked, “You got an invitation that fast?” Tony hummed in the positive and took another bite, staring down at the invite. “Got lucky on that one.” 

“When you’re rich like me _lucky_ isn’t what you’d call it.” He waved his fork Steve’s direction. “And I hope you’ve got dancing heels.” 

Steve narrowed his eyes at the engineer in front of him. 

He couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fought with this one like none other. Wasn't happy with it - rewrote. Wasn't happy with it twice- rewrote. But I think I got it to a point where this is acceptable to me.  
> (What I’m excited about is JayGreen might be the only one who knows what’s about to happen….)
> 
> Again, un-betaed. All mistakes are my own. Point them out and I'll fix 'em.  
> Read at your own risk.

The second time waking up in Tony’s room wasn’t as jarring as the first. 

He was warm and content with Tony breathing deeply at his side. Sometime in the night they had shifted so Steve was spooning his bed mate. Steve’s arm tucked under Tony’s head and his hand splayed on his belly. His forehead pressed against the back of Tony’s neck. 

Never one to sleep naked, Steve suddenly wanted his sleep pants and boxers gone so he could press fully against Tony’s back. 

Pulling the brunet close to his chest, Steve sighed contently into the dark curls at Tony’s neck. He had some time before Tony would wake up, he could indulge in his domestic fantasy for a while longer. 

 

Soft lips at the back of his neck blurred the line between being asleep and awake. 

He wanted to fall back into the dream of those soft lips all over him. Tony rolled into the soft feel of parted lips until they met his. Just the soft press together as a hand pet down his back and rested at the curve of his spine. 

The warm weight of that muscular arm soothing. 

Rocking his hips into the solid form in his mind eye, he was rewarded with that arm pulling him closer so his aching dick could find friction in the body beside him. 

Those soft lips found the sweet spot under his jaw that had him panting and thrusting forward. 

The blanket over his hip was pushed aside as his boxers disappeared and his hard dick was encased in a warm dry heat. A slow rhythm started against the underside of his dick. The feeling so intense, but familiar. 

Tony frowned behind closed eyes and looked down his body. In his dream, the pleasure kept him from make out what that feeling was. 

Fighting through his sleep-muddled mind he opened his eyes to a big hand holding two hard dicks. The steadily growing familiar dark pink head was thrusting against the underside of his with just the right amount of pressure. 

Tony’s hand flew up and dug into Steve’s bicep with his fingertips but it didn’t even slow him down. 

“Almost there Sweetheart.” Steve growled with his lips pressed against Tony’s forehead. 

Tony moaned in response and rocked his hips into Steve’s tight grip. 

A rush of warm come covered Tony’s dick and suddenly he was on his back with Steve’s big frame looming over him, their combined erections now slick with Steve’s release as he continued to stroke them. 

“Goddamn, your refraction period.” Tony moaned arching against the pillows. 

“Language.” Steve chastened him as he thumbed over the sensitive head, sending tremors down Tony’s spine. 

“It’s going to be the death of me.” Tony panted. 

“Not such a bad way to go.” Steve replied, capturing his lips in a wet kiss. 

They moved against each other, Steve’s slick grip pumping them in time with his thrusts. So close already, and the warm mess of Steve’s come slicking over his own cock was too much. 

He tried to give Steve a warning but all that came out of his mouth was a high groan of pleasure then he was adding to the mess in Steve’s still stroking hand. 

Nuzzling Tony’s jaw line and neck Steve kept Tony riding the high as he shuttered from the aftershock of his orgasm. 

Not wanting to overstimulate until it hurt, Steve released Tony's spent member and lined the head of his dick along the underside of Tony’s and worked his hand faster down the shaft. The precome stringing between them. 

“You’re about to come again.” Tony moaned, his brain not quite firing on all cylinders. “Damnit that’s fucking hot. How many times do you think you can do it? Four? Five?” Steve bit his lip at the thought of them together working him over again and again. “Would like that wouldn’t you Baby? Jacking you until your balls have nothing left to give.” 

Steve dropped his head to Tony’s collarbone and moaned as he streaked his second load across Tony’s spent cock. 

“We will get there Gorgeous, don’t worry.” Tony cooed as he ran his hand down Steve’s sides as they lie there in the afterglow.

 

Kicking off his boxers Tony used them to mop up his stomach and Steve’s hand. 

“Should shower.” Steve muttered throwing a forearm arm over his eyes. 

“Don’t have anywhere to be until one o’clock.” Tony replied, letting the statement hang. He continued when it appeared Steve had no idea where he was going with that, “Could get brunch then see where we’re at?” 

“Are omelets an option?” 

“They are if we’re seated before eleven.” 

Steve dropped his arm to look at Tony, his bright eyes mischievous. “Think it’d be faster if we showered together?” 

\- - -

Eleven thirty found them four blocks away from the tower at a diner finishing breakfast as Tony highlighted some of the more appalling tactics of past clients. 

“You knew her?” Steve gasped, shocked. 

Tony nodded with a laugh, “I had asked her to be my escort to a closed charity event earlier in the year. At first, I thought I’d slept with his daughter while she was off having a rebellious phase but turns out they hired her for the evening.” 

Tony didn’t think Steve’s frown could be more disapproving. “How can you just hire someone to play at being your daughter?” 

“Shamelessness helps I think. They were trying for an angle where I’d sleep with his daughter and he’d be deeply offended and I would cave to his every demand as an apology.” 

A thoughtful look passed over Steve’s face and he gave a low hum. 

“What? Tony asked accepting the refill of his coffee.

Steve gave a shrug and a small smile, “That’s not actually a horrible plan.” 

“Who’s side are you one?” Tony jibed. 

Steve rolled his eyes with a smile, “So how did you find out they’d hired her?” 

Tony smiled into his coffee mug, “She hinted.” 

“She hinted?” 

“Yup, we went for a dance and she kept telling me the most random things about herself. Reminding me she was still in college, and that she’d have her Masters in Accounting in less than six months. That she’d spent a year Milan.” 

Enthralled by the story Steve’s food when untouched as he listened, his brow pulled in mild confusion as Tony detailed the most random aspects of this escort’s life. 

“When we rejoined them he started telling me all about his little girl’s accomplishments. How she’d been studying abroad in Rome for the past year. How she had another year left until she completed her Master’s in Business. That she didn’t want to have children because they would get in the way of her career.” 

“She knew he’d get it wrong.” Steve concluded. 

Tony smiled, he could still see her pretty face framed by all that natural curly hair as she held the wine glass to her lips and raised a challenging eye brow at him. “Today that woman is my CFO and if I remember correctly she’s due for her second maternity leave in about four months.” 

Steve gave a sigh as he sat back in his seat and casually propped his elbow up on the back of the booth, “I’m starting to really not like the world of business. Seems like there is so much deceit, as though it could come to blows at any moment.” 

“Everyone is vying for the imaginary position on the top of the world.” Tony agreed.

The ease at which Tony said it had Steve raising an eyebrow, “That include you?” 

Tony shook his head, “Naw, I gave up wanting that title around the time Iron Man came along. Hard to keep wanting something when you could just go take it and no one would oppose you.” 

Steve gave him a patronizing look. 

“Stop that.” Tony demanded, “You’d be sitting right there alongside me," he gave a Steve a playful smirk, "or you know at my feet.” He shrugged, “Semantics.” 

Steve rolled his eyes. If Tony ever did slip into the evil territory, which Steve knew would never happen, the past few days had been enlightening for additional methods on how to subdue him. 

Some people collect stamps, Steve liked to have options. 

\- - -

Tony suggested they walk to their one o’clock. 

It was about five blocks and they had plenty of time. Showing up a little early to have a look around might even calm Steve’s nerves a bit. 

“I’m not nervous Tony.” Steve informed him as they started down the street. 

“Not yet.” 

“Not ever. It’s a mission. I’ve had to do strange things for a mission before.” Steve continued.

“Name one.” Tony challenged. 

“Wore a corset to get into Germany back during the war.” 

Tony frowned, “I’m sorry did you say-“ 

“Wore it all through Paris and into the Buckingham Palace before we learned that our target wasn’t there.” He smiled at Tony’s silence. “Still think I wouldn’t be up for it?” 

Tony mutely shook his head. 

They made it about a quarter of a block before Tony’s curiosity got the better of him. “What else did you wear with the corset?” 

“Diamond earrings and my best Sunday hat.” Steve deadpanned. 

\- - -

The one o’clock appointment went about as you’d expect for what it was. 

Tony had set an appointment for Steve to get everything he might need to fit in among the high class of the underground world. 

Not once had Steve second guessed his commitment to accompany Tony to the Gentleman’s Event, they had to find the person who was making the drug. It was too dangerous to just let lie. And if Tony asked, Steve had the line ready: It was their only means of reversing the effects it was having on them. 

Tony had laced their fingers together as they walked back to the tower. Explaining that the heat was starting to physically hurt. 

Steve was grateful for it because his own need had started boiling beneath his skin. 

The past two days his need had been strongest in the morning and just after sunset but today he’d started feeling it in the middle of the day. 

Without a doubt, it meant the side effects were getting worse. 

\- - -

Tony's recon on the mission produced a picture of the target. But it seemed dated, he was young -early 20s or so- and had bright blue hair. But according to Tony’s intel, his hair was still bright blue, it had become something of his signature look. Meaning he would stick out in a crowd. 

Getting in and getting him out didn't seem like a particularly challenging mission. Security was light and the plan was to slip in, just as any other couple, find him, then escort him out the back. 

But standing at Tony’s arm as their coats were checked Steve was starting to have second thoughts. 

“Why are we doing this again?” Steve hissed into the back of Tony’s neck. 

“Because we’re looking to purchase product.” Tony whispered back disguising it as endearment with a pressing of lips to Steve’s temple. 

Steve narrowed his eyes at him, “That’s not what I mean and you know it.” 

Tony stepped back and gave Steve a once over, for probably the hundredth time since Steve had dressed for this charade. “But you look good.” 

A couple, arm in arm, moved around them in the narrow hallway. Steve gave them what he hoped was a pleasant smile before returning his glare to Tony. 

With a sigh Tony pressed back into his space, the intentional lift difference in their shoes forced Steve to look up to meet Tony’s eyes. “You read the invite as well as I did. It specified I had to bring a date of the opposite sex.” 

Another couple moved past them and Steve rested a casual hand on Tony’s hip, the bracelets on his wrist clinking together. Their position making it seem like they were having a hushed, intimate conversation and no one paid them any mind. 

Tony idly played with the long hair at Steve’s shoulder. He wasn’t lying when he told Steve he looked good. 

Steve dressed the part of "Billionaire Girlfriend" to a T. 

Natasha’s return -from where ever the hell she disappeared when she wasn’t with the Avengers- couldn’t have been more perfect. 

She had looked a little tired when Tony asked her for the favor but that seemed to evaporate when he explained what the favor was. 

She had done a phenomenal job on Steve's makeup. 

His big blue eyes made more intense by the dark eye liner and subtle eye shadow. Steve and Natasha had gotten a bit into it when she suggested he might not need the fake eye lashes. Steve insisted any additional thing had helped. She had whispered something in his ear that had him blushing and conceding.

His lips were a pretty stained pink that Tony had caught himself staring at a few times in the ride over. 

The wig they’d fitted him with was curled in large blonde ringlets, which added just enough volume to make it look like real hair. 

As Steve had told Tony earlier, he was no stranger to corsets which helped the figure of the floor length dress he wore. The sleeves were puffed and reached mid forearm and did wonders to hide the definition of his shoulders and biceps. 

He wore low heeled shoes despite his protest that he could walk in taller. 

Tony had worn a padded jacket to add to the illusion of Steve seeming smaller. Natasha had pointed out they wanted every advantage they could get for people to not recognize Steve. 

Tony couldn’t help but think it wouldn’t be a problem. 

They’d held hands on the ride, Tony ribbing Steve about the press on nails once or twice, but for the most part the need to be close had been manageable. He wanting to pull Steve onto his lap and see him come undone repeatedly until he begged Tony to stop with those painted bright eyes and pretty pink lips, but like he said, the need was manageable. 

“If that’s what the invite said,” Steve growled in a low tone, “then explain that to me.” His eyes cut to the side, further in the room. 

Tony followed his gaze where a rather attractive male couple were holding hands and looking anything but comfortable. 

“Let’s find out.” Tony replied taking Steve’s hand at his hip and leading him into the room. 

Steve was in awe at the sheer size of the room as Tony guided him across the floor. There were more than two dozen dark couches and chairs arranged in four or more around tables with ‘Reserved’ signs in the centerpiece. 

Steve didn’t get a chance to really look at the stage that took up most of the side of the room before Tony was greeting the couple Steve had spotted. “Any idea what we’re in for tonight?” 

Steve eyed them both. The larger of the two men had to be close to 6’5”, his floppy hair made him somehow appear less intimidating. The smaller man was closer to Tony’s unaided height and had wider shoulders than his date. Steve recognized the battle worn look in his eyes, if Steve had to guess it was probably a soldier with a couple tours under his belt. 

Tony held out his hand, “Tony,” he offered “and my date-“ Tony’s hesitation could have been mistaken for him allowing Steve to introduce himself but in actuality, they hadn't thought that tidbit through. 

“Elizabeth.” Steve dug his fingers into Tony’s side through his jacket. “It’s Elizabeth.” 

The taller of the two gave them a friendly smile, “I’m Sam, and this is Dean.” 

Steve returned his smile. It was oddly reassuring to find someone who seemed so honest this deep in the underground world. Meant he would be the ideal way to acquire information. 

“Seeing you two makes me wish I’d have brought my mistress along.” Steve started, he’d been practicing all afternoon to make his voice come out more of as a feminine husky tone than his normal tone. “How did you get around the invite’s specification of opposite sex?”

Sam ducked his head and gave his partner a bashful smile, “The back said opposite sex or excessive lube. So excessive lube it is.” 

Steve snuck a glance at Tony, he had an impressive poker face in place. They never saw the _back_ of the invite. The digital copy was the only one they’d seen so of course they had missed the fine print.

“That means it’s bound to be fun.” Dean grinned from beside Sam. Steve saw his hand run down Sam’s back as he leaned in to whisper to them, “Pockets are full, and so are the coats we checked.” 

Sam looked every inch uncomfortable at the omission, looking at his partner like he couldn’t believe he’d told perfect strangers something so personal. 

He met Steve’s eyes and gave him a smile that was horribly forced. The poor man was clearly uncomfortable with them knowing such a thing. 

“Beyond that, we don’t really know what to expect.” Sam apologized. 

A waiter walked by with hors d'oeuvres and Dean ducked around Sam to follow. Sam watched him go with worried eyes, “I’m sorry, I can’t- if you’ll excuse me.” Then he was following after Dean who was a short distance away popping one of the many finger foods piled in his hand in his mouth. 

Steve caught the hushed chastening of “We’re on a case-“ before his attention was pulled away by Tony’s hand grabbing at his elbow.

“Three o’clock.” Tony hissed. 

Steve turned to watch Caesar Cicero approach them in large strides. 

“Tony Stark,” he greeted exchanging a firm handshake, “didn’t expect to see you here.” 

_I bet_ , Steve thought sourly. 

“Small world.” Tony replied with a tight smile. 

Caesar pulled a cigar from his jacket and rested it between his lips, “Are you and your date here to watch the show or partake in the activities?” 

“We plan to watch the show but we’ll see where the night leads us.” Tony replied easily. 

Steve suppressed the urge to bare his teeth as Caesar’s eyes swept appreciatively over his form, then looked back at Tony. “With your companion it shouldn’t be too hard to do either.” He leered. 

Caesar checked his watch before excusing himself with an innuendo ladened farewell of, “See that you enjoy yourself” before disappearing into the flow of people around them. 

“It would be bad for business if you punched him.” Tony remarked watching Steve all but growl at his retreating back. 

“Did you see the way he- I think I’d be doing you a favor.” Steve growled.

Tony took his hand and laced their fingers together, “Easy Love. Knocking him flat on his ass might blow your cover.” 

“Not with the way I’d do it.” Steve turned and pulled him along. 

“Who are we off to punch now?” Tony asked following along so it wouldn’t look like Steve was dragging him. 

“Your reserved seat is this direction.” Steve replied ignoring his remark, “The sooner we can find him the sooner we can get out of here.” 

Steve stopped short and twirled a graceful 180, Tony bodily running into the -even in heels- immovable wall that was Steve. He draped his forearms around Tony's neck in a loose embrace, as if they'd done this a thousand times before. 

“What? Why’d you stop?” Tony murmured as he settled his hands on Steve's hips and stood his full height. 

“Blue hair. Ten o’clock.” Steve whispered.

Their target -well his bright blue hair- was hard to miss. He was part of a larger group of people. Standing around, drinks in hand, diamonds on their fingers. Two large men in black suits flanked him a few steps behind. It seemed odd to Steve they were facing him instead of eyeing the place if they were there to protect him. 

“Ideas for getting him away from everyone?” Tony asked as a heavily dolled up woman in a skimpy outfit walked past them, giving Tony a sly smile and a coy finger wave. 

Steve watched her go in mild horror when he realized she wasn’t the only almost-nothing dressed woman he’d seen tonight. 

“This is a strip club!” He hissed at Tony. 

“What did you think _Gentleman’s Event_ meant? Cigars and poker?" Steve took his hand and continued to lead them to their seat. "The woman who greeted us at the door was wearing a _painted on dress _for Godsakes.”__

Steve bit back reprimand of Tony’s curse. “How long do we have until it’s safe to get him out of here?” 

Tony checked his watch, “At least another 45 minutes. Deals should start winding down by the time the first show is over. Have a seat, I’ll get us drinks.” 

Steve pushed Tony down into his seat, “The less people that know you’re here the better. I’ll get us drinks.” Steve ran a hand along the back of Tony’s neck, squeezing lightly, “Stay.” 

\- - - 

Steve walked as close as he was able past their target. From a distance he looked to be about young as Tony’s intel had shown him to be. Maybe mid-twenties at the latest. His bright blue hair was spiked and washed out his complexion, only making his dark skin more obvious at the closer distance.

There were five guards standing not so discreetly around him as he talked animatedly in a circle of people. 

There would be no chance of getting him alone, but they could get him away from the crowd. 

The next challenge would come as they got him past the thugs at all the exits. 

A firm hand gripped Steve’s elbow and warm breath rushed over the shell of his ear, “Dude looked like a lady.” 

Steve spun around to Clint’s smiling face. It took him half a second to recognize the archer because he looked so different cleaned up in a suit, his face free from the ever random Band-Aid and his favorite tinted glasses. 

“What are you doing here?” Steve asked in surprise, disapproval leaking into his tone. He hadn't seen Clint since the last day they’d been called out. Come to think of it, Clint got hit with the same drug him and Tony did. “And how are you doing?”

Clint held up his hands in surrender and nodded towards Natasha who was coming up behind him with two drinks in her hand. “I’m doing fine, got some help with my little problem. A lot of ‘Yes Sir’ with the batch they hit me with.”

Steve’s brows pulled together in confusion, “’Yes Sir’s?”

Clint accepted the drink Natasha offered him with a shrug, “It messed up my thoughts pretty bad for the last few days. Had to go find someone that wouldn’t take advantage of that.” 

Steve watched him for any signs he was joking. 

He wasn’t.

“Only you Clint.” Steve sighed with a head shake.

“Not only Clint.” Natasha chimed in. 

“Yeah!” Clint burst out, “apparently you and Tony too.” 

Steve thought of this mornings shower and fought down the blush, “What makes you say that?”

Clint gestured to all of him. “You're a hot woman!”

Steve sighed, “Why are you both here again?”

“We’re back-up. Because you two have lost your minds.” Natasha informed him.

Steve sighed, “It’s an extraction-“ 

“Of an unwilling target.” Natasha interrupted. “There are five men on him and four at every exit. We weren’t weapon checked when we came in here which means we’re not the only ones armed.” 

“There are exits in the back, behind the stage. We plan to go out through there. That’s four to drop and then the five on him when they go through the hallway. Easy.” Steve explained.

Natasha crossed her arms and leveled him with a blank look, “The fact you don’t realize you need our help is why we’re here.” 

\- - -

It had been twenty minutes since Steve ditched him. 

The ice had melted in his waitress offered Pellegrino, and he’d had to turn down not one, but **two** lap dances. 

_Sacrifices_ , he snarled to himself. 

At least he hadn’t run into any more clients. Meaning his business eye for ‘moral integrity’ wasn’t _that_ bad. 

Their target hadn’t moved more than five feet away from his chair since Tony started keeping tabs on him. You’d think one of the more popular guys in the room would mingle more. 

The abrupt change in music and lighting caused a stir until the spotlights on the stage started swaying and people starting moving towards their tables. 

Now if Steve would just make his way back this direction, they could figure out their next move. 

A low thrum of music started and the curtains lifted to seven people posed on a stage. 

Four women and three men. 

“Your loss.” Tony grumbled into his club soda and relaxed into the chair where he could keep an eye on their target and an eye on the stage. 

The performers were obviously seasoned, not just anyone could move their body like that.

Tony’s eye kept catching on the cowboy on the right. No particular reason other than something about him struck familiar. 

The hat obstructed his hair color and the bandit mask he wore hid his eyes. His white button down shirt did nothing to hide his obvious bulk but even that didn’t seem helpful enough. 

The first chorus began and the clothes started coming off. 

The white collared shirt of the cowboy tore away to an open front, brown leather vest that showed off wide shoulders and an impressively cut stomach and- holy fuck that was Steve. 

Tony felt his mouth go dry. 

That was Steve on his knees. Humping a woman’s shapely leg in time with the music as her other leg hooked over his shoulder and she threw her head back in an over exaggerated display of pleasure.

It was Steve standing still as another dancer rubbed against him as if she were trying to scent mark him. His head following her in apparent interest as she dropped low and practically climbed him before rolling her hips and shimmying to the next male dancer. 

Tony’s brain was stuck on the loop of ‘What the hell is going on?’ with increasing alarm. 

The music was a steady pulse as the dancers fell into formation, and in waterfall fashion, stripped away the bottom half their costumes. 

Under Steve’s pants were a tiny pair of shorts that molded to him more like a second skin and provided less modesty than briefs would have offered. 

Tony knew most of these acts were all for show, rolled up socks if you will, but he was almost proud to verify there was nothing fake about what Steve was showing off. 

The music shifted again and the performers fanned out into the crowd as another set of dancers took the stage and started displaying various complicated pole positions. 

Tony lost sight of Steve for a moment then all six-foot-plus blond was right in front of him, that cowboy hat low hiding his eyes. 

Tony swallowed thickly. 

Oh. Fuck. 

Steve started swaying his hips in time with the music, advancing forward with each pulse of the beat. 

Tony caught a flash of Steve’s still painted eyes as he wrapped a hand around Tony’s tie, pulling him forward to the end of his seat. 

Steve held him there as he brushed their cheeks together, the floral perfume they’d splashed on him filling Tony’s nose followed by the clean smell of _Steve_ underneath. 

“Play along,” Steve whispered, the words hot over the shell of Tony’s ear. 

_No problem_. Tony thought.

“Is he still in place?” Steve whispered.

It took Tony’s brain a moment to break through the lust-haze and realize Steve wasn’t talking about Tony’s not so flaccid dick. “Was last time I looked?” 

Steve released his hold on Tony’s tie and turned around, presenting his shapely ass, before dropping into Tony’s lap and grinding down. 

“How am I doing?” Steve asked over his shoulder in a low whisper.

“You’ve got my vote.” Tony told him. Years of living this lifestyle every night had him abiding by the no touching rule without out a second thought. 

He was just immensely glad this one was coming home with him at the end of the night.

“They’re taking him through the back the song after next.” Steve informed him as he arched back, gyrating his hips as he rested his head on Tony’s shoulder. “Be ready to go with me when he moves.”

Wanting nothing more than to grab Steve’s hips and grind up into him Tony could only nod. 

Steve took off the cowboy hat and placed it on Tony’s head before seductively turning to straddle Tony's legs, hips rolling to the music. “Exit is being held down.” Steve was like a machine, moving perfectly in sync with the music around them as he laid out their plan.

He wrapped a hand around Tony’s tie again, giving it a tug until Tony tore his eyes away from the rolling muscles of Steve’s stomach. “All that clear?” 

Tony had a lot of self-control but he couldn’t help the thrust of his hips as Steve was still grinding that shapely ass across his thighs. “Perfectly.” 

Still painted eyes went wide behind the mask over the bridge of his nose. He flicked his tongue out to lick over those still stained pretty pink lips. 

Heat pooled in Tony’s groin. Standing would defiantly not be in his immediate future. 

“We-we don’t have time.” Steve’s protest came out much weaker than he probably intended but Tony wasn’t going to point it out because he was now rocking forward to intentionally rub against Tony with every move. 

The song gave way to another quick paced song which was just as well because Steve wasn’t keeping time with the music anymore anyway.

A sudden cheer from the crowd around them startled them both enough to snap back to the mission at hand. 

Steve took a deep breath and grabbed at Tony’s hands to bring them to his bare sides, “Get it out of your system.” He coaxed placing a hand at Tony’s neck. 

Tony almost wanted to laugh. Steve thought them getting so turned on was due to the drug kicking in. That this practically innocent skin on skin contact would cool down whatever he was feeling. 

Something clicked in Tony's mind. What if that had been happening since the beginning?

Cold dread raced down his spine, killing his arousal better than any undesirable mental image could. Skin-on-skin contact had been enough to quench the need but they’d never actually allowed skin on skin contact to happen except for that first evening.

He’d practically jumped Steve the first time he came to him in the middle of the night, and every time after that. 

Oh shit. He’d been taking advantage of Steve. 

Snatching his hands away from Steve’s hips as if burned Tony realized he still was.

“Steve-“ 

“He’s on the move.” Steve interrupted. 

Tony watched their blue haired target move across the floor towards a door on the side of the stage flanked by other men in suits. 

“I’m going.” Steve told him, then he was halfway there by the time Tony stood up. 

Cursing under his breath Tony started after them. The dim lights of the room allowing him to move across the floor unnoticed and slip inside the door before it closed. 

The sound of a body hitting the ground greeted him over the now muted sound of the music. 

There was a shout then Tony’s eyes adjusted to the dark hall just in time to duck a fist coming for his face. 

With muscle memory from years of Steve drilling it into his head, he countered with two quick punches and the guy went down. 

Steve delivered a final kick to the last standing guard who flew back into the wall then fell to the floor unmoving. 

Steve was shaking out his hand when Tony looked up.

“Don’t tell me you broke your hand on someone’s face.” Tony joked.

“Forgot I was wearing those nails and punched a few of them.” Steve replied with a sheepish grin as he rubbed his palm. “But nice take down there Tex.”

Tony frowned in confusion for a brief moment then snatched the cowboy hat off his head. He’d forgot Steve had put it on him. 

Tossing the hat to the ground, Tony noticing for the first time their target in the fetal position in the middle of the hall. “Did you knock him out too?” 

“No, that’s the position he assumed when the first guy went down.” Steve said with a frown in his voice.

Tony hummed, “Smart guy.” 

From the huddled body on the ground they heard the muffled plea of, “Please tell me you’re here to rescue me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Cross dressing_ for an undercover mission.  
>  _Stripping_ for an undercover mission.  
>  I gave it my best shot with this plot. ;p


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look! I'm not actually dead!!  
> Lame, inexcusable excuses to follow:  
> So, working through this and realizing this really isn't all _that_ kinky really helped me get through the sex scene in this chapter 'cause year-ago-me was like "omfg I can't believe I'm doing this omg _***blush***_ ".  
> Now I'm looking at it going 'was I going to have bondage in this fic? I think I should have bondage in this fic...'  
> Anyway, enjoy me trying to be a responsible author and finishing what I started.  
> (Feel free to leave all the 'you made me wait for **this!?!?** ' in the comments)

Tony’s brow furrowed, and he knew without looking at Steve, he’d have a matching expression. 

“What exactly are we rescuing you from?” Tony asked. 

Steve opened the door to an empty room, grabbing two of the unconscious men he pulled them into the dark room. “We can figure that out later,” Steve told them as he reemerged grabbing another two men to drag them out of sight. “we have to get you out of here.” 

There was a shout down an offshoot of the hallway. 

Steve gestured to the target then down the hall. 

Reading Steve’s intention, Tony helped the kid to his feet while Steve moved the final unconscious guard into the dark room and closed the door, moving to take the lead as he caught up with Tony and their Target. 

“We have to get to Widow and Hawkeye. They can get him out of here.” Steve said as he navigated them through the service halls.

“Why are they- nevermind. Why can’t we do that?” Tony protested.

“Do you think _you_ can leave without raising suspicion?” Steve asked, throwing a challenging look over his shoulder.

Tony Stark disappearing from a party without going through the front door. It did scream ‘up to something’ in high society. 

“Good call.” Tony finally relented. 

Natasha fell in step with their blue haired target, startling a surprised yelp out of him. “Change of plans. We secured transportation on the West side. Hawkeye is holding the door.” 

“How long do we have?” Steve asked turning down another hallway without slowing down. 

“25 minutes before they notice the guest of honor is missing,” Natasha answered.

Rounding the corner, they found Clint leaning against the wall next to an emergency exit. 

He raised an eyebrow and gave Steve’s costume a once over. “What no plastic gun?” 

Steve nudged their target towards the archer, “Hawkeye.” Came his low warning. 

Clint gave a shrug, “All you’re missing is a cowboy hat and a gun, and you’d be a dead ringer for the Lone Ranger.” 

Tony eyed the skin tight shorts, open vest, and plain black masquerade mask. 

“Add about two feet of fabric.” Natasha corrected, over Tony’s confused, “What Lone Ranger have you been watching?” 

Clint gave another shrug and pushed open the exit into the dimly light alley beckoning their blue haired target. 

The kid turned towards Steve and Tony with a grateful smile, “Thank you so much.”

Tony clapped him on the shoulder with a forced smile and nudged the kid towards to door, “You can thank us by fixing this mess.”

“What mess?” He asked with a frown.

Natasha stepped around them with a curt, “We don’t have all day.” 

Tony nudged again, and the kid followed her out.

Clint gave Steve another once over and held up his hand to finger wave at them, “You two have fun on your date.” He called before closing the door behind him. 

Steve huffed an exasperated sigh before turning and walking back down the hall. 

Tony was at his heel, “Plan?” 

“Get me back into costume, and we do what we can to get out of here with the least amount of suspicion.” 

Tony eyed Steve’s toned ass as he jogged in front of him. Shame really. 

Wait, what? “ _Back_ into costume?” 

Steve dropped back, throwing an arm out, pressing Tony and himself against the wall as two men opened a door further the hall. They were conversing as they continued the opposite direction, and disappeared around the corner. 

They waited until the voice were faint murmurs before Steve dropped his arm from across Tony's chest and gave a tug at the elastic shorts low on his own hip, “Can’t exactly walk out of here can I?” 

Tony raised an exaggerated eyebrow as he eyed Steve’s ass again, “You’d have to decide on a price.” Tony joked. 

“Ten Thousand,” Steve replied too quickly. 

Tony blinked, taken aback, “For the night?” 

“An hour.” Steve corrected. 

Tony snorted a laugh, “That’s completely unrealistic.” 

Steve shrugged an indifferent shoulder, but the playful curl of his lip gave him away before he continued down the hall. 

Tony watched the flex of Steve’s ass as he walked away. “It would be worth it.” He muttered before following.

 

\- - -

 

Two corners and one final dodge of the waiting staff later, Steve led them into the entertainer’s changing room. 

“I have to know, where did you learn to dance like that?” Tony asked turning the lock on the door. 

The base of the song from the main room thrummed through the walls. By the time Tony turned back around, Steve had taken off the mask and vest and was grabbing the familiar color of the dress from a chair in front of one of the many vanity mirrors. 

Tony watched as the material slipped over Steve’s head and settled into place, accenting curves that weren’t naturally as prominent on him. 

Steve shrugged, “You see it enough, and you start to pick up a few things.” He answered sweeping his short hair away from his forehead and settling the wing over his head with ease. The makeup was still as flawless as it had been earlier in the night. 

“Strip teases something you often watch, Cap?” 

Steve hummed before deadpanning, “Only Wednesdays.” 

Tony had come to associate it as Steve’s way of saying Tony wasn’t going to get a straight answer out of him. 

Steve turned and glanced over his shoulder at Tony, presenting the back of the unzipped dress, “Little help here?” 

Tony stepped forward, brushing the long blond hair over Steve’s shoulder and tugging the strings of the hidden corset. He felt himself focusing harder on the ties than they actually warranted, but with the possibility of the drug driving his actions- he was determined not to slip again.

 

Steve suppressed a shiver as Tony’s fingers brushed across his back as he pulled the straps tight. 

With the only contact between them tonight being Tony’s warm hand in his own and that short time on his stomach, Steve had to fight not to lean back into Tony's gentle fingers. 

The thought that the drug might flare during the extraction hadn’t occurred to him until Tony had looked up at him with those hungry blue eyes. Since then Steve had mentally mapped out two very different places they could sneak away to and scratch that particular itch. 

With the Target safely on his way to meet Bruce, the night had turned back into an almost vacation for them. 

Assuming the make-up Natasha used to soften the cut of his jaw was holding up. 

He checked his reflection in the vanity mirror. Again almost startled at the drastic change. 

Steve had used prosthetic alterations before, but something had to be said about Natasha’s ability. Steve hadn’t missed the way Tony had been subtly appreciating the disguise all night either. 

 

With the ties tucked away Tony zipped the back with ease hiding the secret of Steve’s curves. 

“Illusion re-tied,” Tony announced catching their reflection in the mirror behind the vanity. 

Steve was watching him through those smoky eyes. He turned his face towards Tony but didn’t break eye contact through the reflection. 

It probably meant something that Tony was still just as drawn to a female version of Steve. 

“It’s like looking into a fun-house mirror,” Steve muttered. 

“Or something from Reed’s lab.” Tony agreed. 

“Makes ya wonder…” Steve trailed off before shifting to lean his shapely ass against Tony’s crotch. 

Tony's hand had slipped down to settle against Steve's hip, while Steve angled his body to casually press a hand to the handkerchief in Tony's breast pocket. It complemented the color of Steve's dress perfectly.

The reflection was like looking at a picture of an attractive couple standing in an intimately possessive embrace. 

Arousal raced through Tony, and he found himself drawing Steve closer in the circle of his arms. 

“We’ve got 20 minutes.” Steve murmured over his shoulder. 

Tony's dick gave an interested twitch that Steve had to have felt with how close they were. 

It wasn’t taking advantage if Steve was the one that initiated it right? 

The realization from earlier felt like a bucket of cold water down his spine. Tony reached up and gathered the hand Steve had laid over his chest into his own, "The drug only requires that we have physical contact,” he gave Steve’s hand a squeeze, "We only need to hold hands to keep the heat from spreading while we work our way out of here.” 

The unvoiced “ _Sex isn’t necessary_ " hung in the air between them, the words caught in the back of Tony’s throat but there was no way Steve would misunderstand him.

 

Because of Tony's added height, Steve had to look up to meet his eyes. The dark blue iris was a thin sliver around his blown wide pupil. Steve could practically smell the arousal on him. 

Steve was enjoying having Tony to himself far too much to taper off what they had been all too willing doing since this started. In just the couple days he’d become addicted to the knowledge that he could touch Tony anytime he wanted, and he wouldn’t be turned away. 

He wasn’t about to be denied now. 

Turning to face him, Steve coyly toying with the handkerchief in Tony’s jacket pocket as he blinked up at him. 

 

Tony anticipated Steve turning in his arms to face him, his weight a steady press against his front. He didn’t anticipate those lovely blue eyes blinked up at him while a small pout on his painted lips. And only in his wilder daydreams would he have foreseen Steve using that seductive feminine voice to ask, "And if I said I needed to?" 

Tony audibly swallowed. "Then we've got 19 minutes." 

With Steve's hand in his own, Tony was lead across the room and settled on a chair in front of a mirror. 

The chair was just far enough away from the vanity for Steve to kneel between Tony's spread legs comfortably. 

Steve ran his fingers up Tony's thigh before digging those press on nails into the muscle and dragging them down leaving hot sparks of pleasure in their wake. 

Tony hissed in appreciation, so Steve did it once more before putting a hand on Tony's dick and kneading it through the fabric of his slacks. 

"18 minutes.” Steve purred before working the button and zipper open and pulling Tony's cock out. 

Tony watched as the large curls of Steve's wig fell over his shoulder when he leaned forward to press those pretty pink lips to the tip of Tony's cock. 

"Oh fuck." Tony cursed as Steve sucked him down. 

The mirror gave Tony a perfect view of Steve's long blond hair as he bobbed over his lap. 

“You planned this.” Tony accused with no heat as he dropped a hand to Steve’s shoulder, the sheer material over Steve’s muscles had him petting down Steve’s back, feeling the hard muscle underneath. 

Steve pulled off him long enough to breathe, “It crossed my mind” before taking Tony back down. 

“Natural temptress.” Tony praised resting his hand on Steve’s shoulder. A thrill going through him as his fingers met the silky strands of long blond hair. 

Steve urged Tony to lift his hips and tugged his dress slacks over his ass and down his thighs.

“What are you doing Love?” Tony asked, following where Steve guided him.

Steve laid the pants over another chair and with a natural grace he knelt back down in front of Tony’s spread legs, “Making sure not to ruin your slacks.” Came his husky reply, before he was once again taking Tony in his mouth.

He sucked and slurped at Tony’s dick, unlike before with his confident kitten licks; he was practically drooling on Tony’s cock.

“Baby,” Tony called, drawing those big blue eyes up to his face -Steve was going to be the death of him- he swallowed and tried again, “Baby you-“

Steve surged forward and kissed him, taking the words from his mouth. His hand still wrapped around Tony’s dick as he pressed their lips together. 

He pulled back and stood to his feet with that predatory slow movement, “Don’t want to have to go find anything.” Was his explanation as he hiked the skirt of his dress around his hips.

Tony frowned up at him, but before he could question him, Steve spat in his hand and moved it between his legs and his eye fluttered to half mass. 

Tony felt his mouth go dry, and if possible, his dick growing harder. 

Steve was prepping himself with nothing but spit. Was planning on fucking himself with nothing more than spit. 

Tony’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt- He’d corrupted Captain America. 

Steve quickly dropped another wet, spit-slick suck at Tony’s dick before turning around and offered the hem of his dress to Tony, who wordlessly accepted it, fully prepared to bend Steve over the vanity. 

His movement was derailed when Steve’s hand took his dick at the base, and he slowly sat back on him. 

Tony scrambled to get a hand on Steve’s hip to ground himself. 

Oh, he’d _completely_ corrupted Captain America. 

Steve let out a sharp moan when the mushroom tip of Tony’s dick pressed in, but it didn’t slow him as he continued to sink down. 

Tony watched as the skirt of Steve’s dress fell over the side of their legs, Steve’s ass snug against his pelvis, the heat of Steve’s inner thighs resting on the outside of his own. 

They stayed like that for a long moment, Steve’ panting breaths barely louder than the base thrumming from the stage. 

Steve shifted, straightening a little, his inner muscles fluttering around Tony’s cock. 

“Tony,” Steve called, his voice quiet and distracted.

Tony blinked and looked up at Steve from the perch on his lap; he was looking forward, his eyes hooded. 

Following Steve’s gaze, their eyes met through the mirror. 

Staring into Steve’s eyes while he rolled his hips was as close as Tony had come to a religious experience in a long while. 

Steve's lips were parted, and his cheeks had taken on a natural flush, Steve was beautiful. 

The raw emotions on display had Tony digging his fingers into Steve’s hips in an unconscious effort to pull him closer. 

So far, Tony had been able to avoid looking into Steve’s eyes while they found solace from the drug in each other. He already had a crush on his teammate; he didn’t need to make it worse by having Steve’s pleasure blissed face burned into his photographic memory. But as Steve danced across Tony’s lap, he found he couldn’t look away.

“So beautiful like this Steve.” Tony praised.

The roll of Steve’s hips had his hard prick bouncing in his lap obscenely. Tony fisted the skirt tighter in his hand making sure to prevent any accidental stains and watched as his hand slid up Steve’s thigh in the mirror.

Watched his hand slid up Steve’s _smooth thigh_.

With awe just below the surface of his arousal, Tony teased a hand up the inside of Steve’s leg to his balls, palming the heavy sack. 

Tony felt the remaining blood in his brain rush south; Steve had shaved _everything_ silky smooth.

He fisted the leaking head of Steve’s erection causing Steve to drop his head back, those soft curls tickling along Tony’s cheek. His rhythm not even breaking stride as he moaned loudly. 

Tony turned his head to mouth at Steve’s neck, still unable to take his eyes off the mirror as he played Steve’s body like a finely tuned instrument. Gripping Steve’s cock in a firm hold, he used it to guide Steve’s movements by encouraging him to fuck into his fist with each roll of his hips. 

“Feel so good.” Tony panted teasing Steve to thrust further out, his thighs tense as he worked over Tony’s lap, his blond hair bouncing in time with the low thrum of music they could hear through the walls. 

“Have I told you how beautiful, how perfect, you look tonight?” Tony purred into his shoulder before dropping a kiss to the exposed skin of his neck. 

A whimper escaped Steve’s throat at the praise.

Tony tightened his fist around Steve’s dick earning another soft cry, “And so responsive.” Tony murmured against his neck.

 

Chasing the euphoric feeling of Tony rubbing against his prostate as he moved, Steve rolled his hips with the same slow gyration he’d done earlier on Tony’s lap. Moving in time with Tony’s aroused, heavy breaths. Enjoying that he didn’t have to strain over the volume of the music to hear them.

Steve used his cat-like balance and lifted his hips, his thighs starting to burn from the effort to keep the aggressive pace, to chase that feeling of Tony’s dick rubbing against his prostate. His orgasm building slow and warm, low in his stomach.

Steve panted, “Tony I’m-“ 

Tony’s clever, relentless fingers at the bulbous head of his dick stole the words as he ground his hips down desperately on Tony’s lap. 

“Come on Gorgeous,” Tony urged as he made the circle of his fingers tighter, “let me hear you.” 

Steve took his lower lip between his teeth and gave a breathy groan as his orgasm coursed through him, flooding across Tony’s hand. 

“Fuck, Baby.” Tony moaned as Steve’s rhythm started to slow, and his movements grew longer. 

Steve continued to roll his hips, enjoying the feeling of being in control as Tony was inside him and that come slicked calloused hand wrapped around his cock. 

Remembering the mirror, Steve rolled his head to catch Tony’s hungry eyes still watching him.

The eye contact seemed to shake Tony out of whatever trance he’d been in because he bit back a moan and adverted his eyes.

Steve unconsciously let out a soft choked off sound at the sudden loss, “Look at me.” He pleaded as he rolling his hips. Tony’s hand wrapped around him was slowly moving from ‘stop, too much’ territory and into ‘more, don’t stop’ territory. 

Those dark blue eyes found his in the mirror, and with a groan Steve quickened the snap of his hips, wanting to watch Tony come undone. 

In the mirror, Tony’s eyes fluttered shut and he came with a shaky exhale. Steve was equally fascinated and turned on by the pinch between Tony’s brows as he shuttered through his orgasm. 

It immediately made Steve want to see what other blissed out expressions he could wring from his best friend. 

Tony opened his eyes, and Steve’s sudden arousal had him involuntarily tightened around Tony’s still sensitive cock inside him. 

In response, Tony started relentlessly working his come slick hand quickly over Steve’s ready-for-round-two dick. 

“Tony!” Steve hissed as he scrambled to grab Tony’s forearm, his grip wasn’t enough to stop Tony from rolling his wrist and teasing at the cockhead. 

With a groan, Tony dropped his chin to Steve’s shoulder, muttering into the sleeve of Steve’s dress, “Want you here always.”

It was hard to hear his soft voice over the still thumbing of the music’s base and the wet sound of his hand moving over Steve’s flesh, but Steve’s enhanced hearing managed. 

Steve was too far gone to ask if Tony meant sex or something different. 

The next pass of Tony’s crafty fingers over the crown of Steve’s dick had him coming again. 

He leaned back in Tony’s lap, resting his head on Tony’s shoulder as he panted through the sparks zipping through his body.

Relishing the opportunity, Tony dropped a kiss to Steve’s temple then his lips as Steve turned towards him. 

They kissed until Steve murmured a protest as Tony’s now soft cock slid free. 

“2 minutes.” Tony breathed against Steve’s lips. 

Steve huffed in amusement before sitting up, Tony carefully moving his soiled hand out of the way to avoid staining Steve’s dress. Taking the skirt from Tony’s hand, Steve stood and quickly wiped himself down with a tissue from the vanity, offering one to Tony before letting the skirt fall back in place. 

Tony stared at him for a long moment.

“What?” Steve asked hesitantly. 

A little bit of awe started to seep into Tony’s expression, “Have you been commando this whole time?” 

Steve felt his cheeks heat as he gave a single shake of his head. “No, the um- they’re around here somewhere.” 

“What’s around here?” 

Steve ignored him in favor of turning back to the vanity and adding the necklace and bracelets he’d been wearing earlier in the night. 

Standing, Tony grabbed his briefs and slacks, catching Steve step into something out of the corner of his eye. Curiosity piqued, Tony quickly tugging on his briefs and watched as the skirt billowed around Steve’s forearms, hiding whatever Steve was settling around his hips. 

“Are you wearing panties?” Tony demanded, his slacks forgotten in his hand. 

Steve very deliberately didn’t make eye contact as he turned and brushed an imaginary wrinkle from the dress.

“30 seconds.” He answered instead.

“Plenty of time.” Tony objected. 

The rattling of the door knob proved him an immediate liar.

Steve gave himself one last look-over in the mirror before slipping the heels back on. “We need to get back out there before people wonder where you are.” 

Tony narrowed his eyes, but understood well enough their time constraint, “We’re not done talking about this WingHead.” He promised.

The door knob rattled again before the knocking started, “Is it locked?” A woman asked someone on the other side.

Quickly crossing the room, Steve flipped the lock, and despite the sudden flare of possessiveness, he opened the door wide enough to show Tony in the dressing room with him as well. 

The bright-brown eyed woman had a questioning look on her face as she took in Steve before cutting away to Tony who was tugging on his slacks and quickly tucking in his shirt. 

Her face morphed into surprised as understanding settled in, making no mistake as to what they had been up to in the dressing room. There would be no shock and awe when sex and Tony Stark were involved. 

“Honey,” she started, her Boston accent thick, “You can’t be back here. And you certainly can’t lock this door.”

Ducking his head, Steve deliberately smoothed a hand down his dress as if nervous before glanced back at Tony, “Sorry. We were just finishing up.” He answered in his feminine, husky tone.

“As long as you're gone before that Mafia Princess-wanna-be-Dragon Lady gets here, we wouldn’t have a problem.” She said ushering the other dancers into the room.

Steve blinked, “I’m sorry, who?”

Tony was suddenly at Steve’s side, a hand on his lower back, nudging him forward. “Shall we, Love?”

Steve wanted to ask the woman more, but she was walking into the room while Tony steered him into the hallway.

They passed a few of the dancers Steve had been with on stage with, but thankfully none of them seemed to recognize him.

With a hand on Steve’s lower back, Tony navigated them down the hall and to the ‘Auditorium’ labeled door. 

The door opened to the opposite side of the stage they’d followed their Target through. 

Only a few steps into the crowd and Tony grabbed Steve’s elbow and pulled him close, hissing against his neck, “You knew we’d get caught back here didn’t you?” 

Steve gave him his best innocent look and exaggerated a long blink in mock surprise. “What makes you say that?” 

Tony watched him with growing apprehension.

Finally, Steve shrugged, “Tony Stark and his date getting caught in the janitor closet is the perfect cover for your sudden disappearance.” He explained. 

“No one would think twice about it.” Tony finished for him. He paused for a moment before concluding, “You are a sneaky bastard, Rogers.” 

Steve couldn’t keep the small smile off his face, “I like to think of it as being tactical.”

Tony chuckled, “Okay Mr. Tactical, let’s politely mingle our way out of here.”

 

\- - -

 

It turns out the picture of the drug creator wasn’t outdated.

Kidnapped from his dorm, Tyson had been missing for four months. 

“Convenient cover story coming for a guy who’s about to get worked over.” Clint stage-whispered as Steve and Tony joined them in the kitchen to watch Tyson add another layer of lettuce and meat to the sandwich he was constructing. 

Sexcapades notwithstanding, Clint and Natasha had taken just as long as Steve and Tony to get back to the tower. Cutting back and circling several blocks to make sure they weren’t followed.

Steve didn’t even have time to change out of his dress and wig before they were summoned to the kitchen to “take over babysitting” even though both Clint and Natasha planned to loiter around the lab. Clint wasn’t exhibiting symptoms anymore but he’d still been hit with the drug, so Steve thought they had a fair reason for wanting to hang around. 

“You have no idea how excited I am that this isn’t a granola bar.” The dark skinned teen raved.

At Steve’s eyebrow raise Clint elaborated, “It was like the fourth time he’d asked us if we had any food. I wasn’t gonna drag him down to no man’s land without a decent meal.” 

Bruce frowned at the nickname for his lab.

“It’s the most sophisticated hardware available.” Tony defended, “The kid is going to be in candy cane heaven. Hardly “ _no man’s land_ ”.”

“He’s like 12-” Clint started 

“18!” Tyson said as he made a second sandwich, stacking it carefully on top of the first. 

“-he needs more than the coffee-tea crap you live off down there.”

Bruce’s frown turned into more of a pout as he silently, and reluctantly, conceded to that fact. 

Steve dipped his head in agreement. As long as the kid stayed away from the knives, Steve had no objections to letting him eat.

 

The elevator ride up to Bruce’s lab was filled with the sound of Tyson answering Bruce’s questions around a mouthful of sandwich.

He was advanced for his age, “homeschooled” he’d chirped with a grin, already in his third year of college to become a biochemist. 

Any doubt Clint and Steve had about the kid’s story was erased with a phone call to his parents. His mother had been understandably hysterical, breaking into tears at his sheepish, “Hi Mama.”

Tony booked Tyson’s parents a flight -first class, from California to New York- while his mother collected herself and woke his father.

It was almost a 5-hour flight, accounting for time to check into the airport and the traffic in New York when they touched down, they had 7 hours to deconstruct the drug and have Tyson help them make an antidote.

 

“They’d take me to those,” Tyson waved his arm around as if that indicate the Gentleman’s Event, “shows every few days then bring me to another lab after it was over. Which was frustrating because then I’d have to mix everything again from scratch.” He was explaining how he’d been moved around between bites of his sandwich. 

“And not all of the labs had the same equipment or elements stocked which is stressful when they’re holding a gun to your head making crazy demands.” Tyson lamented. 

“How many different demands did they have?” Steve asked.

Tyson shook his head, “Too many. First, they wanted me to make an anti-aging thing, which I tried to do but none of their stuff-” He gestured to the lab around them, “-was sophisticated enough for me to make that. Which is saying something because age reversal research was how I got my scholarship in the first place-“

“What else?” Steve cut him off before he could go off on another train of thought.

“Oh, uh, mind-altering was- no, wait. A truth serum was next. Mind altering came after that.” Tyson said counting off on his fingers. 

“And after you’d made all of this for them, they weren’t afraid to bring you to where they were selling it?” Steve asked.

Tyson pointed at him and nodded his head, “I asked that too! Apparently, they weren’t worried about it because the demos they did with Nimbus were like, super impressive. You’re the first ones to do something about me being there.” 

Steve frowned, “Does everyone watch these demos?” 

Tyson shrugged, “Yeah? I think so, but I don’t really know. They usually haul me out of there before then.”

Which more than likely meant the drug was used on everyone attending. _So much for sneaking out without being noticed_ , Steve sighed. 

“If you had to identify what you used to make them could you do it?” Bruce asked.

“Well yeah but,” Tyson leveled him with a serious look after downing the rest of the cola in front of him and setting the glass back to the table with a resounding clank, “they also had me using magic.”

Tony bit back a frustrated groan, “We know you did. Do you remember what kind of magic you used?”

Tyson shook his head, “No, just that it was purple and smelled like peaches. But, after I started adding it, it kept causing everything to explode into these huge like, particle clouds.” He waved a hand around trying to demonstrate the size of it and lost bits of lettuce from his sandwich. “That’s why I named them ‘Nimbus,' you know after Goku’s cloud.”

“Even without the magic do you think you could make a neutralizer?” Bruce asked.

Tyson nodded. “They all do different things, so it’s gonna take time to figure out how much it affected the person who inhaled it, but yeah.” He paused, and his eyes narrowed as he started connecting the dots. “Someone here took it, didn’t they?”

As good of opening as it was, Steve dropped a hand to the back of Tony’s neck and all but sighed in relief, “Not intentionally.”

Tyson fidgeted in his seat, “What color was it?” 

“Mine was blue.” Clint supplied from the end of the work bench. 

“Ours was green,” Steve added.

“ _Ours_?” Tyson parroted, “As in, you _each_ inhaled a green one, right?” 

“Would it make a difference if it was the same one?” Bruce supplied watching him over the top of his glasses.

__Tyson’s eyes went wide, “Oh a big difference.” His voice going high pitched with emotion. “The colors all do different things, right. Blue affects the decision-making part of your brain, supposed to make you real open to suggestion.”_ _

__Clint huffed a humorless laugh and Tyson ducked his head in embarrassment as he continued, no doubt knowing the extent of what Clint went through._ _

__“Green causes an oxytocin flux because I couldn’t figure out how to make the levels stay high. The white ones are practically a Viagra pill, but it faded real fast. And red causes a heightened sense of awareness, like stuff is coming through the walls you know? Paranoia, but on steroids. ”_ _

__“Holy shit.” Tony breathed in surprise. The kid might be as annoying as Peter when he was younger, but he sure knew his stuff if he’d been able to do that much in just a few short months._ _

__“I didn’t choose to make them colors.” Tyson unnecessarily defended, “The chemicals mixed and that’s what I’d get depending on how much magic I’d put in there.”_ _

__“Oxytocin flux?” Steve repeated._ _

__“I told you those levels weren’t lying.” Bruce exclaimed to Tony, “You and Steve were hit with the love hormone, and that’s why you are craving physical contact.”_ _

__“Love hormone?” Steve asked but Tyson’s confused, “How long ago were you exposed?” was louder._ _

__“Approximately 52 hours ago,” Tony answered._ _

__“And you’re _still_ experiencing symptoms?!” Tyson demanded. He rounded on Clint, “How long were you affected?” _ _

__“Came down shortly after 24 hours.” Natasha supplied as Clint tried his best to ignore the way his cheeks heated from the admission._ _

__“Felt like longer,” Clint muttered unconsciously leaning towards Natasha._ _

__“Subspace, Darling.” Natasha murmured._ _

__If possible, Clint’s face went redder, and he cursed, “Fucking magic.”_ _

__“I made the first batch a couple of days after they kidnapped me from my dorm.” Tyson said shaking his head in disbelief, “Those notes weren’t exactly me thinking clearly. It didn’t occur to me until after today that magic might cause actual problems. And they’re the bad guys; it’s not like they were going to let me run through in-depth human trials. But that crazy lady came in and took it before I could try and get rid of it.”_ _

__Bruce’s head snapped up at that, “You made a batch today?”_ _

__“Fifth one from scratch,” Tyson confirmed._ _

__“Did you happen to hear where it was going?” Steve asked._ _

__“No.” Tyson said looking down at his empty sandwich plate, “but I know shit hit the fan when those construction loons stopped the last shipment from getting to where it was supposed to go. That lady showed up, _in person_ , to demand I make more before Monday, but stronger.” With his eyes down, Tyson didn’t see Steve’s growing frown, “Which didn’t make sense to me because like, Nimbus is pretty absolute so I just made it not last as long and told her it was because it was “concentrated.”” He used air quotes then heaved a sigh, “I just wanted to go to college ya know? Maybe invent some low-cost acne medication ‘cause my cousin always said that would have made his high school years better.”_ _

__“Tyson.” Steve said, drawing his attention back to the conversation, “Did they ever tell you why you were making all this?”_ _

__Tyson shrugged, "Not directly, but I did hear a few people say it would help the Dragon Lady increase their “negotiation powers” -he illustrated with more air quotes- “which I guess would be good for the people running the thing we were at tonight?”_ _

__Steve frowned, what had that dancer called her boss? _….wanna-be-Dragon Lady_. _ _

__Tony gave a small huff before conceding, “Doing business in any one of those emotional states would make any deal heavy handed.”_ _

__“Mafia Princess,” Steve said aloud._ _

__“What?” Tony asked._ _

__“A dancer at the club said we had to leave before the "Mafia Princess-wanna-be-Dragon Lady showed up,"” Steve explained._ _

__“Tyson.” Steve said in his Captain America voice, everyone in the room straightened at the tone, “Do you know what the lady looked like?”_ _

__Blinking in confusion at him, Tyson frowned, “The Dragon Lady? She had dark hair, kind of shorter cut.” He gestured to just above his shoulder, “Uh, she had blue eyes I think? Maybe some other light color? She was kind of hot for being old, like super old, like 30 or something.” He paused for a moment in thought, “Someone called her Ali once, does that help?”_ _

__Steve’s grip on Tony’s neck tightened for a fraction of a second, “Tony. _You_ have been negotiating with them.”_ _

__Tony frowned at him, “You were only gone for like 20 minutes, how much negotiating could I ha-”_ _

__Caesar._ _

__Caesar was there and had asked all the appropriate questions for a _host_ to ask. _ _

__If Alisha were pulling strings from behind the curtain- The Wrecking Crew hadn’t been downtown for a _hand off_ , they had been there to steal the product and sell it themselves!_ _

__“Shit!” Tony exclaimed turning to his screens and bringing up a search. “That’s why she was so forgiving that I’d left early that day! And why it felt like I was head butting a brick wall the meeting after that. She didn’t have what she needed to get what she wanted!”_ _

__Alisha wouldn’t concede to any of the equipment Tony had tried to talk her out of because if she waited long enough she would be able to get anything she wanted out of him!_ _

__“You rescheduled for Monday.” Steve said, realization dawning on him, “She was stalling.”_ _

__"Jesus, Stark." Clint muttered in disbelief._ _

__“I’m starting to understand why you’re always so paranoid,” Bruce remarked rubbing at his eyes beneath his glasses._ _

__“Most of the time it keeps me out of hot water,” Tony grumbled pulling up yet another screen._ _

It was approaching 2:30 AM and the real work was just getting started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a scale from 1 to 'seething-depths-of-hell' how much do you hate me right now?  
> S'okay, I kinda hate myself for this too...  
> It's been technically over 2 years since the last update (my head just hit the desk at that realization) and we've got one more chapter to go.  
>  _THIS IS WHY I DON'T LIKE POSTING UNLESS I'M COMPLETELY DONE WITH A STORY!!_

**Author's Note:**

> 1/5/2015:  
> • I swear to god there is a plot in there and I have another 15k+ of story that I need to rush edit and get up.  
> • All the tags will go up after I get the whole thing posted because they don't all apply in the first chapter so keep an eye on those.


End file.
